The Dark Side
by Cricketsong.1985
Summary: AU - Zero wasn't taken in by Kaien Cross after his family was killed. Instead he escapes to the streets, wounded and traumatized with nowhere to go. Will he be able to cope with becoming a vampire? How will he avenge his family's deaths? Things don't look good for the young hunter... MA for violence, sexuality and non-con. Will be a Kaname/Zero story. Thanks for looking :)
1. Chapter 1

**The Dark Side**

 _AU - Zero wasn't taken in by Kaien Cross after his family was killed. Instead he escapes to the streets, wounded and traumatized with nowhere to go. Will he be able to cope with becoming a vampire? How will he avenge his family's deaths? Things don't look good for the young hunter... MA for violence, sexuality and non-con. Will be a Kaname/Zero story. Thanks for looking :)_

 _Rated M for Mature content. You've been warned. I don't own Vampire Knight or its characters. This fiction is merely for my own amusement and I don't profit from it in any way._

 _I always appreciate reviews, let me know what you think!_

 **Chapter 1**

Zero Kiryu ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He clutched as his sweatshirt as he slipped into an alley and ran straight into a dead end of dumpsters and trash. He panted and tried to think of what to do next as he caught his breath. He didn't sense anyone following him, but he had nowhere to go. There was nowhere to go even if she wasn't chasing him. His family was gone. They were dead. His mother and father were laying in pools of their own blood and nothing he could do would ever bring them back.

The fourteen year old clenched his teeth together as fresh tears stung his eyes and he sunk down beside a ripped sack of garbage, his legs rubbery as he once more replayed the gory scene in his mind.

She had slashed their throats with her claws, laid them open and preyed on their blood. His eyes locked with his mother's as she tried to scream and only managed to emit a choked gurgle before Shizuka Hio tore her throat out. He had been helpless to do anything because it happened so quickly. He saw his father's silver hair in the glaring lights as he drew a hunter weapon and attempted to shoot the pureblood vampire, but she ducked out of the way of the shot and whirled around, snatching him by the throat and crunching her powerful fist down on it.

"No!" Zero had screamed and rushed forward, but he stood no chance against her speed and ferocity. His father hung limply in Shizuka's grasp. She offered Zero a smile and a silvery little chuckle as she threw the corpse down to the floor and kicked it aside. Zero saw his dad's neck cranked at a funny angle, his eyes blank and staring ahead without blinking. His throat was just a hole in the front of his neck. Blood covered everything in a coating of crimson. Before he could react Zero found himself trapped in Shizuka's terrifying grasp and she was biting into him, whispering things to him that he couldn't grasp as he felt the world darkening at the edges. Her teeth were ripping deep furrows into his throat and he could feel her arms crushing his body to hers. He had fully expected for that to be the end of things, but she suddenly withdrew her teeth from his throat, twisting his hair roughly so he couldn't look away.

Her eyes flared with some unrecognizable emotion and she threw him down beside his father's body and was gone. He immediately thought of his twin brother and scrambled up, slipping in the warm blood that streaked the floor and everything else. Every nerve in his body was on fire and his neck screamed in pain, his blood still leaking from it and covering his chest in sticky, metallic red. Ichiru. Where was Ichiru!? He looked around for his brother but found himself alone. Panicked, and unable to endure seeing his parents mangled forms any longer, he ran from the house. On his way out he paused, looking back for a final moment. He was never coming back here. His family was gone and he would never see them again. Before more tears could blind him he grabbed a zippered black sweatshirt with a hood and pulled it over his bloodied clothes, and a picture of his family from the telephone table beside the entrance. He smashed the glass against the door frame and took the photograph from it, folding it in half and shoving it in his pocket and he left the horrific scene behind him as fast as he could.

Zero pressed his back into the cold brick wall behind him, his eyes refocusing on the dark alley before him. He had an intense headache, and his vision was hazy and unfocused. Blood. He'd lost a lot of blood. Was he dying? Why hadn't she killed him? Zero tried to make his mind work, but it was becoming difficult to think straight. He was aware of his neck throbbing with each beat of his heart, which he could hear loudly in his ears as blood rushed around in his head. He raised a hand to the painful wound, and felt the open gashes where the pureblood's teeth had lacerated his flesh and left it raw and oozing. A sudden realization washed over him.

He had been bitten by a vampire.

A pureblooded vampire.

He was going to become one of them.

He was going to become a vampire.

Zero suddenly felt burning hot as he shot to his feet in a panic, his heart's renewed thundering a deafening din in his ears. Dizziness enveloped him before he even took a step and he lost consciousness, sinking against the bricks.

* * *

The period that followed was a blur of patchy moments spent waking in pain and confusion. Zero couldn't tell how much time had passed, but it felt like a lifetime. A chill settled quickly over him as he laid in the alley, so he would wake to the feeling of himself shivering, realize what had transpired, and allow himself to slip back into the pleasant embrace of unconsciousness once more.

Eventually Zero became aware that he was no longer laying in the alley between the dumpsters. Something soft was beneath his pounding head. He wasn't as cold anymore either.

'I must be dreaming,' Zero thought to himself, inhaling slowly and letting his eyes open. There was a small lamp to one side of him, providing enough light to see that he was in a tiny room with a window covered by a dark blue drape, which was pulled shut, blocking out whatever was beyond.

It seemed real enough, but where was he? He tried to sit up, pain lancing through him when he moved his head. He neck burned with a deep fire that seemed to radiate outwards from the location of the bite wound. It was definitely real. He used his hands to push himself up and felt his head spin. His throat felt parched and he could feel his tongue dry and fat in his mouth. There was a plastic water bottle sitting beside the little lamp that was to one side of the bed he was in. He reached for it and drained half of it in one thankful gulp, immediately regretting the quick movements due to the pain they caused his injury. He took a second, more careful swallow and replaced the bottle on the nightstand. Zero looked down at himself. He was still wearing the same bloody clothes, and was laying on top of the blankets of a single bed. The only furniture in the room was the bed and the nightstand to the left of it, and a dresser beneath the window on the right wall. There were some clothes and towels folded on the dresser. There were also two doors, a small one to his left, and a larger one opposite the foot of the bed. Zero slowly swung his legs to the side of the bed, steadying himself on the nightstand and he got to his feet and walked around the bed to inspect the clothes. Clearly they were meant for him to change into. He looked to the two doors. The smaller one was open a few inches. Upon closer inspection it revealed a restroom with a stand up shower, a toilet and a small vanity with a mirror. He flicked the light switch and a single bulb glowed over the sink. He walked into the room and looked into the mirror.

The face that looked back at him seemed years older than he actually was. His lilac-coloured eyes appeared sunken and were decorated with dark circles. His pale silver hair was plastered to his head in several places with dark crusts of blood. His cheeks had hollowness in them, and his lips were cracked and dry. There were many splotches of blood on his skin, hiding how pallid it was, and when his eyes came to rest on his throat he had to bite back the taste of bile as an urge to vomit overcame him at the sight. The wound was hard to see through all the blood dried over it but it was obviously going to leave an ugly scar. A reminder for the rest of his life of what had transpired the night his family was slaughtered by an evil monster. Shizuka's laughter echoed in his mind and he almost punched the mirror, but stopped himself, realizing he still had no idea where he was.

It was obvious that he needed to clean himself up before he did anything else, so Zero grabbed the towel that had been left for him and peeled his clothing off, having to rip his shirt free from his skin because it was glued there by dried blood. He stepped into the small shower and turned the water on, letting it soak into the blood all over him and wash it away. He watched the water running down his legs turn red until he was standing in a shallow red puddle as it circled the drain sluggishly.

As he showered Zero wondered if he was a vampire already, or if it would come on more slowly. In his teachings with Master Toga he'd learned much about vampires and how to hurt them, but there was limited information about the transformation of a human into a vampire. Most people bitten by purebloods didn't live to tell the story, and those who did became willing slaves to their creators after drinking their blood. Those who didn't drink their creator's pure blood were doomed to become monsters ruled by insatiable thirst until they perished or were killed. Zero knew plenty about that; it was his legacy to hunt such monsters and exterminate them, as his family had done for generations. Violence did not come naturally to the young hunter-in-training, but he had been taught to hate vampires his whole life, and now he felt that hate morphing into rage as he again experienced the pain of his loss bearing down on him.

He poured some shampoo into his palm and began to wash his hair. Pink lather lifted most of the mess away and he scrubbed himself, using more shampoo and rubbing it over his arms and legs, trying to wash away every bit of blood that he could find. He gingerly touched the mess of cuts and scabs at his neck and tried to pick some of them away, but he had to leave most of it there or risk re-opening the wound. When he was satisfied that he was clean he turned off the water and grabbed the towel, drying his back, arms and legs before wrapping it around his waist. He again looked into his reflection. Now he saw how white he was, how his eyes had a dead, flatness to them that he barely recognized. He looked tired and empty. He felt hopeless. What good could possibly come from this? He was alone now. Everyone he loved was gone before their time and he had to live on knowing that he was going to become like the thing that killed them.

At the tender age of fourteen Zero was still largely and innocent child. At least he had been until this moment. He realized that no matter if he was ready or not, his childhood was over today.

With a heavy sigh far beyond his years Zero turned from his reflection and retrieved his soiled jeans from the floor. He fished around in one pocket, retrieving the folded photograph which he had taken with him from his home. He let the pants fall back to the floor, unfolding the picture, noting a few bloody fingerprints marring the surface. He looked longingly into the smiling faces of his mother and father, and into the eyes of his twin brother, Ichiru. He would not let their death be for nothing. He would become stronger, and eventually destroy as many vampires as he could until their deaths were avenged. Somehow, he would show any vampire who crossed him that the Kiryu family was not to be trifled with. He would never sink to the level of one of them. He would never taste blood, never allow that madness to overtake his soul. He would sooner die.

Zero abruptly folded the picture back up and left the bathroom to try on the clean clothes that had been left for him. He tucked the picture into the drawer of the nightstand and slid it shut, putting aside the thoughts of his family to focus on where he was.

He strode towards the door of the room to find out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Zero found his way down a long corridor lined with doors like his own. He looked back at the room he'd come from and noted that it was number 8, which he committed to memory as he passed the others, approaching a staircase at the end of the hallway. It kind of looked like a hotel or dorm. It wasn't dirty, but it wasn't particularly fancy either. The lighting was dim and it was quiet. He padded down the carpeted stairs and found himself face to face with a middle-aged man with short dark hair and black eyes. He squinted at Zero, pulling a pair of thin-rimmed glasses from his shirt pocket.

"Glad to see you're awake and cleaned up. You weren't looking so good when I found you. My name is Shigeo Higashi. I am the owner of this place. I take care of young men who have nowhere else to go. From the state I found you in son, I didn't think you had anywhere to go. What is your name?"

"Zero Kiryu."

The man gave Zero a once-over and clapped his hands together.

"You must be hungry, come with me."

Zero didn't complain. He didn't know how many days it had been since he'd eaten anything, but he knew better than to argue with the offer. Clearly he'd had a small bit of luck, to be taken in by someone who seemed to be kind and genuine. He followed the older man through a short hall and into a big kitchen where he saw a few boys who looked about his age cleaning and doing dishes. When they saw Higashi they returned their gazes to what they were doing. He told one of them to fix Zero something to eat and he nodded, heading to the fridge and pulling out what looked like the makings of a sandwich.

Zero was left in the room with the two boys, who stared at him openly after Higashi left. He realized after a moment of awkward silence that they were looking at his neck wound. He self-consciously put his hand up and a challenging glare rose in his eyes. The boy who was not preparing food ducked out of the room. The remaining one turned his eyes back to his task. A moment later a cold sandwich was placed before him with a glass of milk. Zero sat at the large table on one of the long benches that flanked it, hunching over the meal and eating it without looking up from his plate. He remembered his last meal with his brother and parents before the horrible tragedy and swallowed the lump that rose in his throat with great effort. The food helped him immensely and he felt a tiny bit better as long as he didn't let his mind wander.

The other boy returned with some bandages, and offered them to Zero.

"That looks really painful," He said in a soft voice, his eyes filled with curiosity and pity. "What happened?"

Zero wanted to say something in response, but he locked eyes with the other boy and found himself at a complete loss for words. He didn't know what he could possibly say. The story was unbelievable.

He finally just looked back to his glass of milk and swallowed it down. He accepted the bandages and wrapped up his neck so the slashes were covered. It stung and he thought the bandage would stick to the scabs, but at least it hid things and stopped the air from making the bite tingle with pain. The area was very hot and he wondered if it was infected.

After he ate, the two boys led Zero to another doom where Higashi was seated behind a desk, going over some kind of paperwork. He looked up from behind his glasses as Zero stood in front of the desk. A glance to the two boys and they were retreating from the room, leaving him alone with the stalky, dark-haired man.

"Feeling better?" The man asked, gesturing towards a chair. Zero sat down, wondering what was going on.

"I'm glad I was able to help you out Zero. I'll explain how this place works and then you can get to work. You see, everybody must earn their keep here, or I can't keep this place running. Everyone comes here from different situations and has different stories. Order is the best way to keep everything running smoothly. There aren't too many rules, but you need to follow them and you won't have any problems."

Higashi began to explain the way of things. And Zero started to feel a coldness in the pit of his stomach. The House, as it was apparently called, was a place of pleasure for men who liked something a little different. As Zero's eyes widened in horror Higashi raised his hands to calm him.

"Don't worry Zero, I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want to do, I will require your help with some cooking and cleaning around the House for a while." Higashi smirked and Zero saw a twist to his lips that he didn't like. "Besides, nobody would touch you with that gash on your neck. That's going to take some time to heal. I think you would have died if I hadn't found you. You're pretty lucky kid."

A few more details and Zero was sent back to the room he'd woken up in. He heard a key slide in the lock of the door as it closed. He felt a wave of adrenaline as he realized that he was a captive. His eyes settled on the window, and he ripped the blue swath of curtain aside to reveal a set of iron bars outside of the window. It looked on a courtyard with neatly trimmed bushes and an iron fence surrounding it. Zero closed the curtain and looked back to the room. He inspected every inch of it and found little in it. The dresser contained a change of clothes. The nightstand had two drawers. The top one he opened and saw his photo with bloody fingerprints on it sitting inside. The bottom drawer contained a few books. One of them was blank, like a diary, and there was a pencil in the drawer as well. Nothing of real use or value. With a sigh Zero sat on the bed. It was late in the day, and he was feeling almost feverish from everything that had happened, but nervousness and dread worked their way through him and he was powerless to stop them. He didn't think he could ever relax again.

He finally accepted that right now he was too weak to fight and was oddly grateful to have a roof over his head and something in his belly. He had no money and nobody to ask for help, where could he really go if he escaped? For now he decided to bide his time and regain some strength. Perhaps then he could find a way to escape and go to Master Toga to become a fully trained hunter.

* * *

A few weeks passed and Zero was introduced to a routine of work. Any hopes he had entertained that he had been rescued and things would get better quickly faded as his neck healed and he was put to work almost every minute of the day, except for a few breaks for food and time to sleep. He was given a few small freedoms, but they were few and far between, and he was not yet trusted around the public, so he was forced to stay in the back of the House cleaning soiled bed sheets and helping the other two boys cook for all the rest. Neither of them spoke much to him, and he quickly became isolated and learned to deal with being by himself. He ached for his brother's company at first, wishing he could put their foreheads together and talk with him as they had when they were kids. And he missed his parents terribly, but when he thought of them his mind turned to their murder. It was all too easy to recall the blank, dead staring eyes of his father's corpse sprawled in a pool of blood. Zero focused on the task at hand whenever his mind wandered to these things and in this way he managed to get through the days a little at a time.

Higashi kept a watchful eye over Zero, and for the time being he did not try to escape or fight. He was trying to learn this place, get to know the people here, and look for a way out. Currently he only had access to a small area in the building. He needed to know more about where he was if he ever hoped to get out. The other two boys his age seemed to have similar routines to his own, though they weren't permitted much socializing. They cooked three meals a day for many people, but Zero never saw any of them. He was confined to his room or sent to fold laundry whenever the mealtimes were held. He was kept isolated and secluded from most everyone else in the house, even though he could sense that there were at least fifteen people in the house. Even as a rookie hunter in training Zero had been taught to recognize people's aura's (as well as vampire's) and relied on this skill now to give himself a better idea of what was going on behind closed doors.

His throat wound had been slowly healing, and as it did, Zero began to realize the true effect of Shizuka's bite. He started to sense things he hadn't been able to sense before. His hearing seemed improved slightly, and he became more aware of heartbeats, people's breathing, and noises like their stomachs gurgling, or when they swallowed. None of these things we especially strong, it was only a slight sharpening of what had already been there, but he noticed it. He also seemed to be smelling things more acutely, like people's breath, or things wafting in through the window that he may not have been able to identify before. The area on his neck marred by the series of slices and punctures was constantly sensitive, painful. The slightest brush over it sent a shudder of sickness through Zero's body. When he thought about it he could feel her teeth in him still. His body seemed to ache strangely, especially when he was trying to sleep. At first he thought he had sore muscles from all the work he was doing, but the ache didn't subside after a month at the House. He realized the real cause. His body was changing, just very slowly.

After two months of working every day Higashi took Zero into his office once more and told him he was doing a good job earning his keep, and that he was pleased with his hard work. He explained to Zero that he had earned some trust, and a new privilege; he would have half a day each week of personal time, where he didn't have to work. He also showed him to a room he hadn't seen before, which turned out to be a library.

"You can read any of the books here, as long as you take good care of them and only take one at a time."

"Thank you, Higashi-san," Zero bowed, totally thrown off by this strange gesture. He was not expecting any freedoms or privileges and felt a little happy for the first time since he'd woken up here. He found that most of the books were educational texts or famous novels. There was a fair bit of variety, and it made his existence slightly more palatable in the following months.

He took to keeping a book in his room so he could distract himself from his reality before he went to sleep each night. When he had a whole afternoon to himself and usually found a novel and holed himself up in his room to read. This time because the best escape from his new life, and he began to look forward to it each week. He did his best not to make too many mistakes with the chores he was given, wondering how long it would be before he was asked to go into the other parts of the House.

After being at the House for a total of six months, Zero's neck wound had completely healed, and he was left with a deep scar that was generally sore to the touch. The aches in his body had subsided, replaced by an ache in his jaws that persisted for several weeks before he realized what was happening. He started to feel the sharp points of his upper and lower canines as they were growing longer, like a vampire's teeth. He ran a finger over one and its razor edge sliced the tip of his finger open, a drop of blood welling up on it. He smelled it and it didn't seem like anything different to him, it smelled the same as it had before he was bitten. Perhaps he could smell it more fully, more easily, but it didn't spark any kind of hunger in him. As he popped his finger into his mouth to suck on it almost absentmindedly, he realized that it didn't taste any different either. He wondered if this was because it was his own blood.

Zero had been at the house for eight months (he was keeping track in the blank book he'd found in his nightstand) when he was again brought into Higashi's office. Curious, Zero followed the man in and wondered what would happen.

"We have been moving some of the other boys around, and I have some work for you cleaning the rooms in the front of the House. You may occasionally come in contact with Clients. They are to be treated with respect, and if they ask anything of you, then you must do it without argument. Your new duties will be to clean the rooms after Clients are finished with their dates in the evenings."

Zero accepted this new job willingly. He gained access to a large portion of the house that he had never seen before. It was halls with rooms, like the ones he and the other boys slept in, but much nicer, with lavish decorations, silky soft sheets and plush carpets underfoot. There were some older boys walking around, some of them accompanied by men, others alone. They wore finely tailored clothes and their hair was neatly groomed. They didn't so much as look at him, brushing past him with purpose as he quickly stepped out of the way. He was instructed to strip the beds from each room as it was freed up, and replace the sheets with fresh ones. He would also need to clean any other mess in the rooms so they remained presentable for new clients. He was given a utility cart with cleaning supplies to use and told to make sure he looked clean and presentable when he was working in this part of the house.

Zero wrinkled his nose at the smell of semen that filled the first room he went into. He tried to hold his breath and not get his hand in anything as he stuffed the soiled sheet into the bin and started putting out the fresh one. Disgusting. He finished up the room and went to the next one. When he opened the door he was immediately aware of the smell of blood. He closed the door behind him and felt a strange pressure in his jaw. His teeth ached. His gut twisted, his nostrils flaring as he breathed in again the scent of blood. His gaze fell to the bed, and he immediately zoomed in on a few drops of blood that stained the sheets. He could only guess as to why they were there, some strange or forceful activity with the previous Client, no doubt.

Zero could not tear his eyes from the spots before them, inching closer and lowering his nose over the place as he drew air in, filled with that _smell_ , that pungent aroma that for the first time filled him with hunger. Zero slapped a hand over his nose and mouth and pulled away from the bed, spinning on his heel and heading into the bathroom to splash some water on his face. As he stood back up he caught himself in the mirror. His normally light purple eyes were tinged red, and he saw the tips of fangs in his mouth as he ran his tongue over them. They had lengthened enough to be useful for their obvious purpose.

"No." Zero glared into his reflection with determination, reminding himself of his hatred for vampires, and his vow to never succumb to anything as awful as thirst for human blood. Or any blood. He focused on the teeth in his reflection and willed them to return to normal, watching as they reluctantly shrunk into a less predatory shape before his eyes. The red in his gaze was also receding back to lilac and Zero felt himself regaining control over his first wave of bloodlust.

Revulsion washed over him as he thought about how it felt to want something so disgusting. He didn't want to go back into the room because he knew the smell would be stronger.

'I have to get used to this sometime, otherwise I won't be able to control it,' he thought to himself as he steeled his resolve and went back into the main room to strip off the bed and dispose of the offending bedding. It was imperative that he remain in control of his condition.

He left the room and moved on to the next one. He was able to stay calm and finished off the rest of the day without incident.

That night Zero laid in bed listening to his protesting stomach as he thought about how much time had passed since he arrived here. He wondered how much time he had left before he came into contact with blood again and had a reaction like he had today. He wondered if this was to be his life, how long he would stay here before he could get away. He shut off the light and once more laid in the dark with his thoughts swirling as he tried to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Zero marked the date in his notebook, realizing that he had been at the House for well over a year. His fifteenth birthday had come and gone without event. He had become more trusted and had been given some additional privileges, but no actual freedom from his life of locked rooms, chopping vegetables, and cleaning linens. He'd fallen into a routine of work and occasional escape in his books. He wasn't happy, but it was a bearable existence for now.

Zero's transformation into a vampire seemed to be as complete as it could be without the effects of drinking blood regularly. He noticed that his strength was greater. His ability to heal from small cuts or bruises was mildly accelerated, and his night vision was sharper than it had ever been. His balance and hand-eye co-ordination were better too. Unfortunately, the thirst was becoming more intense at the same time. The effects of denying himself were becoming more and more evident. He would tire quickly; he often felt sickly, feverish, or had a headache. He knew that he was technically stronger, but he had no endurance, and even though he was able to heal, it inevitably left him with a growling emptiness in the pit of his stomach that seldom abated. He had taken to sneaking extra meals to try and keep himself as satisfied as possible, which for the moment was helping. When he was alone in his room he had also started to work out, doing floor exercises like pushups. The purpose of the exercises was to help build his strength, but especially to increase his self-control by pushing himself beyond his existing limits. He surmised that this tactic would stave off the hunger more effectively than simply trying to ignore it. It also gave him something to focus on besides the progression of the inevitable.

Zero had developed a strategy for stealing extra food on the side as he prepared meals for the other boys. He would be sure to stuff things in his mouth whenever nobody was looking, and wrapped bread or meat in a towel and took it to his room to snack on in the evenings. In this way Zero was keeping himself under control quite well. He was almost becoming optimistic that he could handle being a vampire. The thirst wasn't so powerful most of the time, and he was getting better at keeping it far away. As long as he didn't focus on how unsatisfied he felt even with his stomach full he was usually able to keep it at the back of his mind.

He was returning to his room one night after managing to pilfer a steamed bun stuffed with sweet pork filling when he spotted Higashi standing in the hall between himself and the door. He bowed to the elder man, attempting to move past him with the little bundle of food concealed beneath a book he was carrying. A firm hand clamped onto his shoulder as he tried to pass.

"What have you got there?" the dark-haired man asked him with a friendly tone in his voice.

Zero felt a little surge of adrenaline flush through him as he tried to act innocent. "It's a book about-"

He was cut off quite abruptly as Higashi slapped the book from his hand without warning. The pork bun fell to the floor, bouncing out of the towel and coming to rest against his shiny black shoe.

The elder man regarded it for a moment which seemed to stretch on impossibly as Zero stood where he was, unable to hide his guilt. He wondered if there would be a punishment. Higashi hadn't been at all mean to him since he had arrived, but there was always an aspect of uncertainty in his life, always a measure of control that was not his own.

"Best be getting to your room, son," Higashi said finally. "It's late."

Zero nodded and bent to pick up his book form the floor. Before he could get it he felt Higashi's shoe crunching over his fingers and he quickly tried to pull his hand away in surprise. He gave the stalky man a wide-eyed look and felt one of his fingers dislocate as Higashi pressed down harder on his hand. A strangled noise of pain escaped his throat. He caught dark eyes in his own and couldn't read their expression. Finally, after what felt like an eternity he was able to pull his hand back and he cradled it close to his body, leaving the book and bun and ducking into his room to nurse his injured hand. He heard the lock click into place after a few seconds.

Nothing was the same after that day. He had expected some kind of lecture, but nobody said anything to him. Instead his door simply remained locked the following day. Zero was left alone with his thoughts and his throbbing hand for the whole day. It gave him plenty of time to grow anxious and try to anticipate what would happen next. He watched the world through the bars on his window, until late that night, when he finally heard the lock being turned. His door opened, and Higashi stepped inside.

"I warned you to obey the rules here, Zero. I cannot tolerate any disobedience or this place will fall apart. I know I am very kind to you boys, so to learn that you're stealing from me is a serious problem."

What followed was the most vicious beating Zero had ever experienced. Higashi never said anything more to him, instead he moved into the room and immediately punched Zero in the solar plexus, knocking the wind from him. Before he could attempt to take another breath fresh blows rained down on him, leaving instant welts on his arms and shoulders as he tried to protect his face. He smelled his own blood after the first few strikes, and saw red droplets dappling the carpet below him from his nose and mouth. Higashi grabbed Zero's hair and wrenched his face back, assaulting his jaw with a flurry of punches. When his arm tired he threw Zero to the carpet and kicked him squarely in the ribs several times. Zero felt at least one of them crack, and each breath he tried to draw thereafter was wracked with pain.

The silver-haired teen dared not move for fear of further angering his silent attacker, but when he didn't feel anything for nearly a full minute he allowed one cautious lilac eye to peer out from between his bangs to try and see where his assailant was. He caught sight of the door to the room closing, and heard the lock's telltale click. He was alone again.

Zero laid on the floor bleeding and shaking for a long time, too sore to move. He cursed himself for getting too comfortable in the House as he finally started to pull himself up to his knees. He was able to crawl into the bathroom, but had great difficulty pulling himself up to the counter to examine the damage in the mirror. He hadn't turned on the light, but he didn't really need it to be able to see his face covered in darkening lumps and fresh blood leaking from his mouth and nostrils. Tears stained his eyes as he remembered the last time he had seen himself covered in blood. This wasn't as bad as that day had been, but the betrayal he felt from someone he had begun to trust and think of as kindly was crushing. Mixed into that was his own guilt. He had a good reason for taking extra, but what right did he have to help himself to what didn't belong to him? Normally Zero would be rational enough to see the flaw in his line of thinking, but presently he failed to recognize it and experienced guilt and shame for his actions instead.

With shaking legs barely holding him up, Zero used his uninjured hand to pull off his clothes and he stepped into the shower, turning on the water to wash away the fresh blood. He took an inventory of his injuries and wished he had something for the pain. He hadn't eaten anything that day, so he was that much hungrier than usual. He could feel the other, darker hunger growing exponentially beneath it. When he could no longer stand he sank down in the shower and let the steady stream beat down on him until it became cold and his fingertips were pruney. Despair blossomed in his heart. Memories that he had tried to push away for the past year returned to the fore of his mind as he replayed his parent's murder for the thousandth time. Memories from before that time, of training as a vampire hunter with Master Toga, and of playing outside with his brother all surged forth in a swirl of emotion. There was no hope. This place was as hopeless as any other; his future held little beyond pain and misery. How would he ever get away from here and become a powerful vampire hunter?

The answer, Zero realized, was that he wouldn't. Not if he gave up now. If he let this be the thing that crushed him, then he would never get his revenge on Shizuka Hio, and would never live up to his family's name. His hand came up to the scar at his throat, which sent a tingle of familiar discomfort through him. Each time he felt that sensation he was filled with renewed hatred for vampires. It steadied his resolve, grounded him. Reminded him of his greater purpose. His hatred kept him from losing himself.

Zero shut of the water, reaching for a towel and carefully drying himself off, mindful of the bruises and ugly welts that decorated his pale frame. He changed into clean boxers and drank some water from the bathroom tap. He crawled beneath the covers of his single bed, shutting off the light.

He would heal from this beating, and he would do whatever he needed to do to get strong again. To get the hell out of here. This dismal place would not be his end, he was sure of it.

* * *

Life did not get any easier over the next several months. After the beating, Zero was no longer permitted any free time, and he wasn't allowed in the library. His duties were altered so that he no longer cooked or handled any food, and his meals were taken alone in his room. What had previously been a somewhat tough life of mostly work broken up by small amounts of leisure and reading became instead a monotonous grind of every dirty and disgusting job available with almost no respite at all. Higashi's previously pleasant manner changed completely. He was derisive to Zero, unforgiving, and regularly found fault with his work. The young hunter tried not to lose sight of his bigger goals, but it became harder as his body began to weaken with need for blood, and his emotional barriers sagged under the pressure they had to endure. It was difficult to care about anything now, because he constantly felt weak and sick, though he hid it well. The severe beating he suffered at Higashi's hand had sapped his body of all the little extras he'd begun to notice. His enhanced senses of smell and hearing dimmed, though he was more acutely aware of human heartbeats than he had ever been before. His improved healing started to work in the opposite way, so that he couldn't seem to heal from even the most minor of injuries without extra time. He had perpetual dark circles under his eyes, and he felt cold all the time, even wrapped in his covers. He was coming to understand the severity of his need for blood, but still his resolve was not even close to cracking. He would never sink to that level. Never.

Higashi became more physical with Zero as well. He readily slapped him without provocation, rarely offering any explanation for his violence. At some point the touches grew sexual in nature. Zero loathed the feel of the man's hand grabbing his ass, or pinching a nipple through his shirt. He had even had his genitals palmed roughly by the stalky, black-eyed man. It had filled him completely with disgust, but he was unable to slap the unwanted touches away for fear of being beaten again.

Sometime after his sixteenth birthday Higashi called him to his office. It filled the young hunter with dread but he didn't dare disobey now that he knew the consequence of even a minor infraction. Zero had been extremely careful to behave since that day.

"I hope you have learned your lesson, son," Higashi began, pinning Zero with his dark stare.

"Yes, sir, I'm very sorry," Zero responded quickly, wary of the other man's wrath. "I won't do it again."

"No, you won't, I'm sure. But that's not good enough. I can't trust you anymore. You need to learn your place."

Zero's heart sank at the words, knowing that his punishment wasn't over. His head spun as he tried not to let panic carry him away. He cursed his weakness, his inability to just leave this place. He wished for a moment that Shizuka had simply killed him along with his family that fateful night over two years ago. That had to be better than what his life had become.

"M-my place?" Zero managed in a feeble voice that didn't at all sound like himself.

Higashi rose from his chair, and slid around the desk silently, moving with purpose towards the young man who was frozen in his seat. He slapped Zero's cheek so hard his head snapped to the side. "You aren't useful to me for much anymore, I've given you every unwanted job around here and I have other boys, younger ones who are more suited to do those things now. I was going to give you an opportunity to try servicing Clients when you were old enough but they generally look for strong, healthy young men with attractive features and friendly personalities. Unfortunately, Zero, you don't have any social skills, and you steal. You're too pale, and that awful scar on your neck is hideous. Almost nobody is going to pay for something damaged like you. No, there is really only one kind of Client that would want you. You're only useful as a slave. A fuck toy."

Zero stared in stunned silence as dread coiled up within his body. He could not hide his fear, it was plainly evident on his face. He shank down into the chair, trying to become smaller. He longed for it to open up and swallow him. No such luck.

"Your new career will begin tomorrow. I suggest you make the most of your evening and get some rest."

Zero was sent back to his room with a mixture of dread and hopelessness closing in on him until he could hardly breathe. It was impossible not to despair. His plans of escape, of becoming a great vampire hunter and avenging his family seemed so far away they were like a delusional dream he'd once had. He couldn't allow himself to think on them too much or he was sure he would burst into sobs and be unable to stop. He collapsed to the bed motionless, his amethyst eyes trained on the window. It had come to represent the path to freedom, despite it being barred shut. Now it looked tiny and far away, a square of colour on the backdrop of the black wall in the dark room.

Zero let the darkness enfold him in its welcome embrace as he sank into a restless sleep. He could only imagine what Higashi had in store for him the following day.

* * *

 **AN:** Eh heh, I guess I am being a little harsh on poor Zero… but it's all part of the story! Some of you may be wondering where Kaname is… we are getting there! We have deviated from the normal Vampire Knight story a little because Zero didn't go to live with Yuki and Cross after his family died. I always found it odd that they never went into detail about how much Zero suffered and what it was like for him to actually become a vampire. To deny himself even a taste of blood for four years. I wanted to take some time to explore that in the first few chapters of this story. I hope everyone is enjoying it!

Please let me know what you think so far!


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Marking down the day in his notebook, Zero realized that it was his seventeenth birthday today. He'd been a prisoner in the brothel for three years. He'd spent the most recent one enduring unspeakable sexual abuse at the hands of countless men, and even a few women. Each day was a new horror of beatings, bondage, and misery. He had sunk to lows he hadn't thought any person could. Every part of his body had been probed and invaded, and it seemed no atrocity had gone untested. He had come to learn that fighting or refusing led to beatings and starvation. Denying anyone the pleasure of using him was forbidden absolutely. His body was not his own unless he was locked in his room.

How could a person's soul survive such a thing? At first Zero thought that he would become accustomed to it, that after some time it would hurt less, or become easier to endure. He thought he could block it out. But that was the hardest part. His body was highly responsive to most attentions, no matter how depraved. His cock hardened when it was squeezed and stroked, even though he despised the feeling. He didn't want to react, but it happened anyway. And not every person who touched him was trying to hurt him. Sometimes they enjoyed getting him excited, working him up until he was ready to explode from need. Those times were the worst ones; he had no way of controlling his reactions and felt powerful shame every time it happened.

But there was one thing that was worse than all of the sexual stuff. One thing had become the dominating force in his mind, leaving everything else on the back burner.

Zero could no longer ignore his hunger.

It snapped and clawed at his insides constantly. Every time he was in the same room as another person their heartbeat nearly drowned out all else. He had begun to fantasize about the feeling of biting into a warm, living throat, the feeling of heat in his mouth as he tasted blood. He thought about the texture, how it would be thicker than water, how it would fill and coat each part of his tongue, teeth and gums…

Zero slapped himself as he realized he'd gotten carried away thinking of it again. His pulse roared in his ears. He forced himself to take some slow, deep breaths and think of something else. Since his world had become so limited, there wasn't a lot to think about except how hungry he was or how much his body hurt. That made distraction especially challenging.

He heard the ominous click of the lock on his door, and though he knew it meant he was going to 'work,' he was thankful for the interruption from his prior line of thinking. Higashi stepped in with a smug curl to his lips and tossed a bundle of clothing at the silver-haired young man.

"Put these on. Hurry up. You have an important client tonight and he has asked that you be prepared before he arrives."

Zero caught the clothes and looked to Higashi, who stood impatiently in the doorway, the hall plainly visible behind him. Apparently he wouldn't be given any privacy to change. Zero sighed as quietly as he could manage and rose from the bed, stepping out of his boxers and pulling his shirt over his head. He caught sight of his torso and legs as he did so. They were peppered with bruises in various stages of healing. His genitals were bare and hairless (his pubic hair was regularly removed so clients could see his penis and testicles more easily), and he had a series of cuts over his right hip, where a particularly cruel man had played with a knife a few days ago. Higashi rarely gave Zero's body any time to heal before he was injured once more, so this was a very normal state for him to be in.

The 'clothing' he had been given consisted of leather cuffs that went around his ankles, wrists and neck. They were cold on his skin as he put them on. There was also a sort of bodysuit part that went with it, a series of leather straps that really didn't cover much. The straps were held together by silver chains, which were icy on his sore flesh. A shiver settled in, making Zero's teeth chatter. He clamped his jaw tightly shut to avoid angering Higashi, who attached a leash to the collar around his neck. He jerked the leash roughly, dragging Zero out of the room and down the hall.

By this time the other residents of the house knew that Zero was a special case. Very few of them endured the atrocities he did. Even the young men who worked as Higashi's prostitutes were mostly treated well, in fact many of them were given all sorts of privileges, and some were even permitted to leave the House on their own because he knew they would come back. Zero had long ago been deemed an outcast even by the other boys. They dared not socialize with him or show him any kindness, lest they share his fate. As such, it wasn't uncommon for them to see him being led off in bondage gear to service some depraved Client whom Higashi reserved him for. The need for self-preservation overruled any compassion they may have extended to him.

The room Zero was brought to was familiar to him. It was where he was usually sent to 'work.' There was a large four posted bed with clips, hooks and chains available at the head and foot to secure him in any way imaginable. Mirrors hung on the ceiling. There was an array of sex toys, whips, floggers, gags and blindfolds on the wall, and a selection of dildos and butt-plugs lined up on a table beneath it. On the opposite side of the room was a small table and two chairs. There was also a bathroom with a large soaker tub. Zero recalled one Client who had enjoyed pushing him under the water until he panicked and struggled to escape. Only when he weakened and spots swam before his eyes did the man let him up to breathe. That had been a truly horrible experience.

Higashi left Zero in the room and locked the door. Time passed, though he couldn't be sure how much. He sat on the bed, waiting, and finally, after what must have been half an hour, the lock was turned and the door opened. Instead of a Client coming in, another one of the boys from the House entered, also wearing a leather bondage outfit with cuffs and a collar. He recognized him by his long blonde hair, which hung past his shoulders, and gray-blue eyes. Presently they were wide and terrified. Zero had seen him before in the laundry; he had been at the house for a few years as well, but they'd never spoken to one another. He guessed that they were close to the same age, only he hadn't thought the other boy usually had dates, he had only ever seen him doing cleaning and work. There was a large bruise on one side of his face, but he wasn't covered in marks the way Zero was.

Higashi pinned Zero with a sick grin. "It's going to be a party tonight, boys. Your Client wanted two-for-one, and the two of you are the cheapest garbage I've got around here. Two thieves who can't be trusted. Have fun…" He let the last phrase trail off as he exited the room. As soon as the door shut it suddenly opened once more and Higashi gave both boys a foreboding glare. "Don't fuck it up." He warned and left.

Zero could immediately hear the other young man's heartbeat racing a mile a minute. He could smell his sweat and fear, and saw his nostrils flare as he looked around himself in horror with wide eyes. Had he never done this before? Was this his first experience? It must be, or he wouldn't have been so terrified. He thought back to his own first experience and was repulsed at the memory. He hated to see anyone hurt, and wished he could protect the other boy somehow.

"I'm Zero," he whispered, "I'll try to keep him focused on me. Just… try to go somewhere else in your head. Think about something else." He didn't know if what he said was really helpful, probably not. But he felt a little better for at least trying.

"I'm Ryuu," the boy replied in a tiny voice.

There was no time for them to say anything more as the door opened and a very tall, thick man in an expensive suit stepped in. His head was shaved bald and he smelled of fine cologne and beneath that, cigarettes. As he let the door click shut he surveyed the pair seated on the bed with an assertive calm. He removed his suit jacket, folding it carefully over the back of a chair. He loosened his tie and removed that as well. He undid the top button of his shirt and rolled up his sleeves to his elbows. Muscular, tanned forearms were revealed. He had gold rings on his fingers, one of them set with a large red ruby that glinted in the light.

A soft knock came at the door and the man turned to answer it. Higashi bowed deeply and presented him with a bottle of wine. "A courtesy, Senator. Please enjoy yourself, and don't worry about the hourly limit. Take all the time you want."

"Thank you, Shigeo," the burly man responded with a small dip of his head as he took the bottle. Zero wondered who this man was, noting that he was on a first name basis with Higashi. Obviously someone rich and powerful.

Shutting and locking the door, he took the bottle of wine to the little table, which had some wine glasses and a corkscrew on it. He uncorked the bottle and poured a glass of the deep crimson liquid. He swirled it in the glass and inhaled its scent then took a small mouthful. Zero and Ryuu dared not move a muscle.

The large man pulled a shiny metal case from his shirt pocket and opened it, retrieving a cigarette, which he put to his lips and lit. He ordered both boys to get up and stand at the foot of the bed. They obeyed. He took a deep drag of the cigarette, blowing the smoke in their faces as he stood in front of Zero, looking him over scrupulously. He palmed Zero's testicles and flaccid member, examining them, and grabbed his arm, turning him around. He cupped one cheek of his ass, giving it a firm squeeze. He gave a nod and moved on to the blonde boy, repeating the process. Ryuu was shaking so bad he couldn't keep his teeth from chattering and his knuckles were white. A sheen of sweat covered his face. The senator's lips twisted into a grin. He had about a thousand perfectly straight, white teeth.

"You know, it's not a good idea to show fear in the face of a predator. It makes you vulnerable. You could learn a lesson from your friend here, it looks like he's done this a few times. But don't worry, I'll make sure to teach you everything you need to know. Get on your knees, slut."

Biting back tears, the blonde sank to his knees. The senator undid his belt buckle and pulled his erect cock from his slacks. It was thick like the rest of him, and quite long. "Suck it," the large man commanded, forcing it into the blonde's mouth.

Ryuu tried to do what he was told, but he could barely get it in his mouth before he gagged and started choking. He drew back, his eyes watering and attempted to catch his breath. The senator made a noise of disgust and grabbed the yellow hair in his fist, yanking the younger man's head back and forcing his erection back into his mouth. He gagged more, and Zero was sure he almost vomited, but the larger man withdrew just before he did with a scowl on his face. He wrenched the blonde's head away from his member again, spitting in his face.

"Useless slut, I'm surprised. Shigeo has never given me such a pathetic toy before." He looked to Zero. "You'll have to make up for it by being especially good." With that he released the blonde's hair, throwing him down to the floor. He turned to Zero and stroked his erection with one meaty hand, stepping closer to the silver-haired hunter. The larger man pressed his body against Zeros until he could feel his dick grounding into his hip. "Your turn."

Zero swallowed his disgust and nodded, sinking obediently to his knees. He crawled forward and took the senator's member between his lips, lapping at the tip with his tongue. He licked from its base to the head in a teasing pattern, drawing it to its full hardness. He then took it into his mouth, fighting the natural reflex to gag and puke. He consciously relaxed his throat around the invader and slid up and down on it, pumping the base of the man's cock as he did this. He heard him let out a groan of pleasure and felt his hands tangle into his hair.

"Mmmmm, _this_ is how you suck a dick." He said pointedly, looking at the Ryuu who was slumped against the foot of the bed frame. He had drawn his knees up to his chest but was watching carefully with a fearful look. Zero knew he needed to get the client's attention away from the other boy. He plunged the entire length he was sucking on into his throat so his nose pressed into the man's pubic hair and he felt his member throbbing in his throat. At the same time he looked up, trying to catch his eyes. It seemed to work. The senator made a noise of approval and allowed Zero to continue, but he grabbed the silver tresses and began to force his penis into Zero's throat harder. When he was close to coming he forced Zero's face firmly onto his cock and held it there while he pumped his seed into the lilac-eyed boy's throat. He swallowed the ejaculate, hating the taste and the way it stuck in his throat like mucous. He fought the urge to throw up insistently until he was able to relax without automatically retching.

In the few moments it had taken Zero to recover from his performance, the senator had tucked his member into his pants and moved back to Ryuu, whom he ordered onto the bed on his hands and knees. He went over to the wall of toys and selected a thin cane the width of a pencil from among them. It was about three feet long and flexible. He gave it a test on the air, swinging it back and forth. He returned to the bed as a smile unfurled on his lips.

Without hesitation he swung the cane and hit the blonde on his ass. Zero watched an immediate welt form. It was white in the middle and red around the edges. He heard a surprised scream of pain from the boy. He tried to twist out of the way of the next strike. It hit him on the side of his buttocks and another instant welt appeared.

"You can't suck a dick, and you don't know how to take a punishment? What a disappointing fuck toy you are. We'll have to fix that." He turned to Zero "You, tie his wrists to the bed. Make sure he can't wiggle."

Zero felt his heart sink as he realized that he had failed to distract their client from his less experienced partner. It seemed, instead, that he'd inadvertently taken the brunt of the punishment off himself and would have an easier night because of it. He did as he was ordered and fastened one of the blonde's arms to each bedpost by the cuffs on his wrists. He secured the clasps, making them tight so the grey-eyed boy couldn't wiggle. He looked to the senator for approval.

"Fine," the larger man said. "Now watch closely at what happens when I'm not pleased."

With that he again brought the cane down on the unfortunate young man's rear. Zero felt the scream that resulted in his stomach, it made him tense up, imagining vividly what it felt like to be on the receiving end of the cane. It flew down again and left another fresh welt. Thin trails of red appeared in the middle of the next few strikes. Droplets of blood welled up like flowers blooming from the wounds.

Zero smelled it before he realized what it was. He wasn't expecting it and was totally unprepared for the immediate reaction his body had. He felt all his dimmed and underwhelming senses perk up and train on the source of the blood. He could hear it rushing beneath Ryuu's skin. He imagined he could see the veins just below the surface of his pale throat and the insides of his thighs. His heartbeat became a hypnotic rhythm drumming loudly in Zero's ears. He felt his fangs lengthening and his jaw ached to sink them deep into the source of much needed food.

This was very, very bad. He _had_ to get control over himself _immediately_. The screams of pain were sounding every few seconds. It was horrible to listen to, but it reached out and grabbed the attention of the vampire side of Zero, which he was wholly unprepared to contend with right now. He remembered briefly how he had been able to regain control when he had smelled blood before. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his mouth, praying silently that neither person looked at him as he willed his fangs to retreat with all of his concentration. He ran his tongue over the place where they protruded past the rest of his teeth and felt their sharp tips. They were still there, but maybe a little smaller. It was working. He hated how they felt in his mouth, but this wasn't the time for self-loathing. Another breath. Ignore the smell of blood. Concentrate. Relax.

It worked. Zero felt himself coming back from the overwhelming awareness that his hunger produced. He opened his eyes and avoided looking directly at the blood, which he knew would spark the reaction all over again. He watched the burly, tall man wield the weapon instead.

When he seemed satisfied with his punishment, the senator replaced the cane on the wall. He looked pleased with himself, and took a swallow of his wine as he pondered the assortment of toys hanging there. He returned to the bed and untied the blonde, who was lying with his eyes half closed, staring at nothing. It was pitiful to see. The older man grabbed Zero's wrist and pulled him down to the bed beside the barely conscious blonde. He felt the large, rough hand close around his penis and begin to work it into a firmer state. Apparently beating the helpless and terrified boy beside him had restored the senator's arousal; Zero could see it pressing against his slacks.

He cringed at the feeling of the hand stroking him. He felt guilt over the other boy being beaten with the cane, but also revulsion at being touched. He wished he'd been the one beaten so he didn't have to feel this way. He couldn't help that he was growing hard in the big man's palm; it was expertly stroking him so that he became very sensitive, and squirmed when a tendril of pleasure snaked through him. He could still smell the blood close by as well. This presented an uncomfortable mixture of concurrent physical pleasure and desire for blood. Zero panted, his eyes falling shut. He had never felt so sensual from something he abhorred.

The senator pushed Zero's legs apart and placed a lubricated finger over his anus, pressing it firmly inward and exploring the tight space. He added a second moments later. Zero grit his teeth and forced himself not to pull away, remembering how resisting brought punishment and violence. He shamefully realized that his body didn't want to pull away as much as it normally would have. That pungent smell which had infected his senses was making it difficult to reason with himself and it was increasing his sensitivity and arousal. He was so incredibly hungry and blood was so close. The hand on his cock was warm and made him tingle with pleasure. He realized he was getting carried away by his thirst again and that he needed to relax, but it was impossible with the hand on him and the fingers twisting inside him. Each breath reminded him of the temptation that was only a short distance from where he lay. He tried to think of something to distract himself and dull his arousal. He thought of being beaten by Higashi, remembered the pain and the long recovery from broken bones and lacerations. He managed not to completely lose it for a few moments longer.

The elder man placed his arousal against Zero's entrance. The hunter prepared himself for the next part by relaxing his muscles, knowing that it hurt far less if he did this. He was thankful for the little bit of lubrication as he felt the engorged head pressing into him. It hurt. He couldn't stop himself from crying out as he was filled in one steady thrust. He felt like his asshole had been ripped open. He forgot about blood for a brief moment and he writhed in a silent twist of agony, unable to stop his reaction of pain.

His wide eyes searched out the man atop him and he saw the satisfied smirk of triumph on his face as he allowed Zero a few moments to adjust to his size. Beside him on the bed he felt Ryuu trying to inch away. He glance towards him but a hand snapped to his jaw and turned his head back to the senator's face.

"Look at me when I'm fucking you, slut," he ordered, punctuating his words with a firm slap that knocked Zero's head to the side. He dutifully pinned his gaze on the bald man, who chose that moment to start to move within the Zero's passage.

The pain was really the only thing that kept Zero from losing control over his thirst for blood, which was swirling out of control with it being so near. He focused on the pain and managed to get through the ordeal without letting his fangs elongate and his eyes turn red. If he allowed himself to relax then the pain would subside and the hunger and arousal grew quickly, so he didn't let himself relax. He did as he was told and eventually the burly, now sweating man fucking him came in a triumphant grunt, and as he did his hand clamped down on Zero's throat, right over his bite scar.

Immediate agony exploded outward from his neck and he screamed and summoned all his strength trying to get the hand off his throat. It was like raw nerve endings being crushed. His hands came up and ripped at the larger one on his throat, unintelligible noises coming from his mouth. His eyes were wide and unseeing. He was unaware of a commotion on the bed as Ryuu reacted to his sudden convulsion and screams.

"Please! You're hurting him… please stop!" the blonde begged from somewhere beside him. He barely realized someone was talking until the hand came off his throat and the still-hard cock was pulled out of him. He saw a flash of movement and the other boy was knocked down with a punch. He was forgotten on the bed as the senator became enraged and began to lay a severe beating on the blonde.

Zero had been taken completely by surprise and hadn't expected anything as painful as what had just transpired. He was trembling and his erection had shrunken away, leaving him lying in shock on the bed as he heard the punishment going on nearby. He was powerless to do anything buy lay in place as his body attempted to recover from the overstimulation.

Unfortunately, the night wasn't over. The horror continued for what felt like an eternity, until the sadistic man was finally satisfied. He left the room and Zero barely registered his surroundings. He fell asleep, or maybe he slipped into unconsciousness. He couldn't be sure which it was. He was so weak and injured that he couldn't bring himself to move.

* * *

Zero woke to the sound of the door opening. He looked towards it with bleary eyes and his head reeled with dizziness and pain. His throat felt dry and scratchy. When he tried to swallow he found he had almost no saliva to do so. He knew it was Higashi coming into the room by the familiar jingle of the keys in the lock. He forced his eyes all the way open, not daring to be caught asleep. He immediately became aware of the smell of blood and semen permeating the room. He attempted to move and felt pain shoot through his abused body from being repeatedly fucked. He heard a groan from the floor beside the bed where he knew Ryuu was lying, worse off than Zero himself was. Broken ribs made his breaths shallow and strained. It sounded like he needed medical attention.

Higashi collected the more severely injured boy from the floor and carried him from the room, turning back to Zero. "Clean this up and go back to your room when you are finished," he ordered and left without another word.

Zero laid in place for a while longer, working up the strength to move. He was finally alone. It was over for now. He took a deep breath of relief and gingerly willed himself to get up. He was so weak he could hardly find the strength to support his own weight. He pulled the soiled sheets from the bed with trembling hands and bundled them up to take to the laundry on his way out. He busied himself cleaning the room, putting everything back where it belonged.

He froze as his eye caught something he hadn't noticed before. The cane that had been used to beat the blonde boy. It was replaced in its spot on the wall, and it was streaked with blood which had begun to dry. Zero could not tear his eyes away. He crept closer to it, retrieving it from the wall and holding it in his hands as he stared, transfixed. He brought it closer to his face, examining the blood like it was the first he'd ever seen. He sniffed its welcoming aroma. The same thirst he'd felt earlier returned a hundredfold, urging him to feed, to lick, suck and savour the small amount of blood while he had the chance.

He reminded himself of his determination to never taste human blood. He would never fall to the level of a vampire. He was not like them, and wouldn't succumb to such an offensive desire. It was unthinkable.

But it smelled so good, so rich and complex, he could tell so much just from the scent. It would taste incredible, he was sure of it. His body pleaded for nourishment. It was always sickly and weak because he refused to satisfy this one need. He'd spent the last three years feeling perpetually hungry, always suffering because of this. If he gave in, how long would it be before he was a senseless monster? Where was the line between sanity and becoming a Level E vampire? Why was it that this smell that filled his senses somehow made his cock stiffen when he thought about giving in?

How could he not taste it, finally, after wondering all this time? He wasn't hurting anybody, and no one would ever know. He was already a disgusting monster, who cared if he lived or died anyway? Would it really matter if he took one more step towards madness?

No, he decided finally, and brought the bloodstained toy to his lips to taste human blood for the first time.

* * *

 **A/N:** There, chapter over! I had a really tough time with the flow in this one, I want to advance the story and get to the fun stuff, but I have a lot that I need to fit in here too! I hope it wasn't too awful! I promise some more familiar characters are on their way very soon. I don't intend to set this entire story in a brothel… and Zero must meet Kaname!

Please let me know what you think! Thanks for reading :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Euphoric. That was the only way he could describe the taste. It filled him in a way that he had never experienced. It touched all the parts inside him that had been aching for nourishment and attention for so long. It was like a friend or brother had curled closely around him generating an unexpected, welcome giddiness and warmth. His head buzzed with it.

A few cold smears of drying blood represented the culmination of Zero's existence for one stretched out moment that was over far too soon. It was enough to let him know he wanted, no, _needed_ more, and then it was finished, leaving Zero feeling like he had betrayed himself in the most damning possible way. That feeling didn't stop him from voraciously licking the cane from tip to tip, and then his fingers as well in case there was another droplet that could be had. His fangs were fully extended and ached for more blood. His body screamed to him that it wasn't nearly enough to heal all the damages which had been inflicted upon it. His eyes glowed red and he was acutely aware of every noise around, him, every tiny flicker of movement that caught his eye. It only lasted a few seconds after the blood was gone, then he began to calm down and the pain returned, reminding him of his recent abuse.

Zero veritably fled the room when he felt like he had a little control over himself. He knew that if he came across anyone now they would see his reddened eyes, but he _had_ to get away from that smell before he lost himself so totally that he attacked the first person he found. Throwing the soiled bed sheets into the laundry room, he bolted back to his own to collect himself.

A very long, very cold shower was finally enough to calm him. He was only able to move a little at a time because of the damage that had been done to his rear, and even with his cautious movements, it ached deeply, reminding him of the senator's length pushing into him in one long thrust.

He shook that memory from his thoughts as he pulled on a plain t-shirt and some boxer shorts. He would just add tonight to the long list of times he'd rather not remember. Which was basically the entirety of his life for the last three years.

"Some birthday," Zero said to himself with a bitter scowl. How much punishment was he expected to endure, anyway? He had finally given in and tasted blood tonight. The memory of it was at the back of his throat and it tempted him continuously to seek out more. His family was still just as dead as they had been before, only now he felt that he had betrayed his vow to them. The rape was almost an afterthought when he considered his situation. In fact, he basically deserved it, now that he was a bloodsucking monster.

Usually he was pretty good at keeping the self-pity for his situation to a minimum, but some slips were inevitable. Right now he was having a slip and letting his emotions crush him. He didn't want this, any of this. He had no hope anymore. Who was he kidding, thinking of becoming a powerful vampire hunter? He was a slave on his knees, not anyone's protector, avenger, or hero. He had done the one thing he had sworn never to do, and he'd enjoyed the brief flare of happiness more than any feeling he'd experienced since that fateful night three years ago. Why should he deny himself a little twinge of pleasure if it was the only thing he could relish any longer?

None of it really mattered anyway, he realized.

He pulled open the top drawer of his nightstand and retrieved his most treasured possession. The bloody fingerprints on it had long ago dried into dark brown smudges. He ran his fingers over the faces of his parents and brother, and his younger self, who looked so innocent and wide-eyed in the photo that it was difficult imagine it was a picture of him. The days of family dinners and playing hide and seek in the woods were long over.

Tears stung Zero's eyes as he again traced his hand longingly over the photo's worn surface and he finally broke down, sobs wracking him and making his whole body shake. He let out his sorrow and pain as quietly as he could and hugged the pillow, which he buried his face in to muffle his sobs. He laid on the bed and cried harder still, his nose running and his eyes completely blurred with tears.

"I can't do this anymore," he whimpered to himself as he curled into a fetal ball around the pillow. "Just… let it be over."

Zero laid there hugging the pillow and crying helplessly into it for a long time. His misery and hatred for himself had reached a level that he didn't know how to bear any longer and all he could do was wish it would be over with. He felt like his soul was breaking, and he didn't want to find out what would happen to him if it did. He began to drift into sleep, still clutching the pillow to his chest and holding the photo in his trembling hand.

* * *

The next day Zero didn't make any attempt to get up. He simply didn't have the will anymore to care if they beat him for staying in bed. His body was motionless under the covers as he listened to the other occupants of the House go about their business. The hours passed and nobody came for him, so he figured he was being given some time to heal from the injuries he'd suffered the night before. There had been a few times when he'd been hurt badly enough that he needed several days to recover. Last night had been bad for Zero, but he hadn't been injured too much. The most terrifying part had been when the senator grabbed his throat and he saw white. He wondered how Ryuu was faring. He doubted he would see him around for a few weeks based on the injuries he'd received.

Zero's hand traced very lightly over his bite scar. He felt the customary shiver of discomfort that always arose from contact with it. He also felt his thirst awaken, and he remembered tasting the blood and how it had made him feel. Revulsion and arousal had been intertwined, then, connected to his thirst. He recalled earlier the previous night, when the man had touched him with a gentle hand. He'd grown breathless from it, excited and almost willing to be fucked. All because of the way he was affected by the smell of blood nearby. His dick was stiffening because he was thinking about it, and because he had touched the overly sensitive bite mark that seemed intrinsically connected to his vampire hunger. It was like the bridge between his body and the vampire part of himself.

Zero had never been very comfortable touching himself. Before his family's deaths, he shared a room with his twin, so there wasn't a lot of privacy. After their passing, he had been so disgusted with himself for being a vampire that he didn't like to do it, even though the urge was often present. It was only natural for a teenage boy to be horny, after all. In the last year he had almost totally lost the desire for anything sexual unless it was forced on him by a client, and then it was endured, not enjoyed. Now he had a distorted idea of what his own sexual pleasure meant – he had experienced it as something involuntary almost exclusively – so when he felt himself harden, he also felt shame and discomfort. More and more, he was finding a connection between thoughts of drinking blood, and feeling aroused. That was making the shame and discomfort stronger, but it didn't stop the perverse reactions of his body. And he wasn't feeling much like holding back today.

Zero closed his eyes and touched his cock again, feeling a surge of blood rush into it as it grew beneath his fingertips. He slid his hand along its length and let the other hand again brush over the scarred area on his throat. Pleasure zinged from both places he was touching, and the hairs on the backs of his arms stood up as goose bumps covered his skin. He was very aware of his fangs throbbing in his mouth as he jerked himself off under the covers, fantasizing about biting into warm throats and the taste of hot blood washing down his own.

He was getting closer to coming and sped up his motions, his jaws gnashing together and his fingers again teasing the area on his throat that was the connection to his dark side. That spot made him what he was. It was sinful and filthy to enjoy any part of this, to imagine sick predatory things and feel pleasure at them. It was disgusting.

Zero felt himself building up and groaned as he exploded onto his hand, his cock twitching as spurts of sticky white fluid leaked out of it and dribbled down the shaft. He laid in place for a moment, panting under his breath as his body tingled with pleasure and his mind was satisfyingly blank.

Slowly he calmed and his thoughts returned to him; he actually felt a bit better, though his hunger was worse now than it had been before.

As he rose (carefully because he was still sore from the previous night) to clean himself up he felt his insides twisting with need. His stomached growled loudly and he could not seem to get his fangs to retreat fully. He tried the strategy he had come to rely on, which was deep breathing and concentration. He willed the little teeth to be less obvious. He willed himself to ignore the heartbeats of the people in the house, which he could somehow hear even though he wasn't close to anyone.

It wasn't working. He began to sweat, and his imagination started to run wild with thoughts of how hungry he was, and how incredible the little taste he'd managed had been.

At that moment the door to his room opened without warning and Higashi stepped in, closing the door behind himself and locking it. Zero was startled from his reverie and a little surge of adrenaline helped him to break through the wall of starvation that he was dealing with. He blinked and swallowed thickly, casting a questioning gaze on the stalky, dark-haired man with the black stare. He pinned it on Zero, striding towards him without hesitation. Apparently he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary.

"I've spoken with the senator," Higashi said in a leading tone, coming face to face with Zero, who was acutely aware of the sound the man's heart was making as it beat in his chest. "He tells me you have the tightest, sweetest asshole he's ever fucked, and that you sucked his cock like a wanton slut. Naturally I have got to test that out for myself. Imagine, all this time I've had you here and I've never bothered to use you. I figured you would be terrible, honestly. I suppose you have me to thank for giving you such excellent experience and training. Now strip and you can thank me properly." Higashi punctuated his order by seizing Zero by the hair and dragging him towards the bed.

Zero stared at the older man in confusion. He didn't move, stunned into stillness. All he could really hear was his blood being pumped through his body. A resounding slap to his face jerked him into action as Higashi yelled at him to get moving. Zero struggled to scurry out of his boxers, very aware of how sore he already was and dreading how badly it was going to hurt to have anything inside him so soon. He pulled his shirt over his head and Higashi caught it at his wrists, twisting it around them and yanking his pinned arms over his head. He pushed Zero against the dresser, bending him over it and forcing his arms painfully in a way they most certainly weren't intended to bend. Something warm and blunt pressed between his abused buttocks, and he clenched helplessly, trying to prevent it from entering him. He couldn't take any more. He would not submit to this again.

Zero summoned all of his strength and twisted violently around, drawing one leg up to kick his heel as hard as he could into the stalky man's stomach. He watched Higashi's face contort in pain, his mouth falling open and a gurgle of surprise escaping him as his hands went to his middle and he struggled to take a breath. Zero wasted no time freeing his hands from the fabric binding them. He felt adrenaline surging in him, excitement and panic twisting up together as he tried to think of how best to seize his opportunity. He knew he was naked, weak and injured already, and that he could probably not run fast enough to get out of here. He had to subdue Higashi so he could get away. He looked around the room for an idea. His eyes fell on the lamp and he moved to grab it from the nightstand.

A hand closed on his wrist before he could reach it and jerked him backwards, off balance. He was dragged back towards the elder man, who snaked a strong arm around his waist. Zero struggled to free himself, unable to pull the arm off him.

"You're going to regret that," Higashi growled into Zero's ear, his breath a sour hot cloud too close to him. Pressed tight against the other man Zero could again hear the beat of his heart, and he was near enough to smell his sweat and skin, and feel the little motions of his blood rushing just beneath the surface. The hunter made a split second decision and stomped his heel as hard as he could onto Higashi's foot. It was enough to startle the man and Zero spun around to face him.

"No, you are," he hissed and lunged forward, ripping into Higashi's neck. His teeth sank deep, a most satisfying tingle running from them through his whole body as a spray of burning hot blood hit the back of his throat and he swallowed deeply. His fingers dug into his prey's arms, forcing him back against the wall so he couldn't struggle. Zero felt relief and hatred together as he drank in the delicious liquid and his panic and fear were forgotten. Now _he_ was in control, and this asshole wasn't going to get away, though he continued to struggle against Zero's hands. He felt his body crying out in appreciation for the sudden nourishment. His senses were sharpening, his strength returning to him greater than it had ever been before. He took in swallow after swallow of the delicious substance, his fingers tightening on the man's arms until his nails pressed into them in little crescents.

He withdrew his teeth momentarily, panting at the incredible sensation rushing through him. He regarded the man before him, who was screaming and writhing, attempting to get out of Zero's grasp. Terror had morphed the strong, scary man into a helpless victim, and even with all of his hatred for this man, Zero suddenly felt sick and guilty at what he'd done. He realized he had blood dripping from his face and down his chin onto his naked chest. He faltered, backing away and releasing his grip on Higashi's arms.

The black-eyed man stumbled away from Zero, sagging against the wall. He seemed to be passing out, blood still coming out of his neck in a sluggish trickle.

Zero reeled, trying to gain control of himself. His own heart was thundering in his ears, and his head felt light with the high of the blood he'd drunk. He had to escape. Without sparing a moment he grabbed his t-shirt form the floor and his boxers, pulling them on hastily and looking around for some pants. He opened the drawer of his dresser, pulling out the first pants he saw and stepping into them.

He bolted towards the door and stopped dead because it was locked. Turning back to the man slumped against the wall he realized he needed the keys. He patted Higashi's pockets until he felt the keys, and removed them, his hands now slick with blood, which seemed to cover everything. His victim groaned in pain, and Zero could hear his heart struggling to pump despite the severe blood loss. His instincts were telling him to return his teeth to Higashi's throat and savour the sweetness of his blood once more, but he forced that desire downwards, the need to get away taking priority. Fumbling with the keys Zero returned to the door, trying one. It didn't work. He tried another. No luck. His hands were shaking so badly, and they were slicked with blood, which was making it hard to keep a good hold on anything.

There was a click behind him and Zero spun, looking back to see a small handgun pointed at him. Higashi had retrieved it from a hidden ankle holster. He tried to duck out of the way, but wasn't fast enough.

BANG!

A searing pain exploded in Zero's right shoulder knocking him back against the door.

BANG!

Another pain exploded in his right arm. The keys fell from his hand.

BANG!

The third shot missed and Zero lunged towards the other man running purely on instinct and reflexes. He knocked Higashi's arm aside as he fired off a fourth shot and went again for his throat with his teeth. He clamped down as hard as he could and tore sideways, ripping the man's throat open in a huge spray of blood. He felt Higashi go limp, the hand wielding the gun fell to the floor. Arterial blood was spraying rapidly in every direction as his heart gave a few final beats. Zero was covered from head to toe in the crimson shower so he looked for all intents and purposes like a proper horror movie vampire, only the whites of his eyes contrasting the red palette.

He had no time to think about that because he was rapidly losing his own blood and the pain in his arm was excruciating. He was going to pass out very soon.

He ran to the door and retrieved the keys form where they'd fallen. This time he was lucky and he had the correct one on the first try. He pushed it into the lock and felt overwhelming thankfulness that it opened easily for him. His vision was swaying as he ran down the hall, pushing roughly past two boys who had been running towards the room, trying to see what the commotion was.

He took the stairs in a few jumps and scrambled for the front door, gripping the largest key in his hand and praying to any deity that cared to listen that he had the correct one. He slammed into the door and jammed the key into the lock as people started screaming somewhere behind him. He didn't know if they were coming after him or running away from him and he didn't care. The key twisted in the lock and he felt the deadbolt slide. He ripped the door open so hard it slammed into the wall beside him and he was tearing out of the building barefoot into the cool evening, not looking back or caring where he went, so long as it was away.

Black spots crept into the sides of Zero's vision as he put some distance between himself and the House. His arm and shoulder throbbed and he knew he was losing a lot of blood. His feet were already cut up by the rough ground. Adrenaline gave him the strength to keep running, but as he passed people on the street they screamed and ran away from him and he realized that he was covered in blood. He searched for somewhere with less people and spotted a small street, which he quickly headed for. He made it there, narrowly missing being hit by a car whose horn blared angrily in his ears as he rushed on. His breaths were catching in his throat now, and the black spots covered more and more of his vision. He was slowing down, unable to maintain the breakneck pace.

The blood-soaked teen slipped between two buildings, trying to get away from the street. He ran down the alley, tripping over a garbage bag and twisting his ankle. He fell to the pavement. The wind was knocked out of him and he scraped his chin and palms as he landed on his face. He tried to get up, but his injured arm wouldn't hold any weight. On the second try he was more successful, getting back to his feet and wincing as he tried to run on his sprained ankle. He hobbled, putting more weight on his good leg. His eyes searched desperately for somewhere to run where nobody would find him. At the end of the alley was a boarded up building shrouded in darkness and he pushed himself towards it, fighting the dizziness that was getting stronger as he bled more from his wounds.

He managed to reach the building without passing out. He looked for a way inside and saw a basement window with a board just leaning over it instead of being nailed in place. He limped towards it, dragging the wood away from the window with his functional arm. Darkness was all that he could detect beyond the rectangular opening. He got down to his hands and knees, gritting his teeth as he rested all his weight on his left side and moved feet first into the ominous space. His feet touched only air, and when he could no longer stretch them downwards he released his hold and allowed himself to plunge into the darkness below.

He fell backwards and cracked his head on a concrete floor, blackness curling around him and swallowing him into unconsciousness.

* * *

Kaname Kuran carefully considered the finely crafted chocolates beneath the glass countertop. Each was handmade with great attention to be a perfect balance of sweetness and natural chocolate bitterness. He wanted to find a gift to bring to Yuki, whom he hadn't visited in some months. Her seventeenth birthday was coming up in only a few days and he was painstakingly hunting for something that would be perfect for her. A few chocolates would be a nice extra to compliment the gift, whenever he managed to find it.

He selected some of them and had them wrapped by the kindly shopkeeper, who thanked him profusely for the generous tip. The bell jingled as he opened the door and left with a bag bearing the chocolatier's logo in hand.

The wind whipped up as he walked down the street, making his trench coat flap against his tall, lithe form. His chestnut coloured hair swayed in his face and he closed his eyes, which were framed in long, dark lashes. He enjoyed being alone sometimes. He was so often close with the others that he forgot how nice it was to take some time away from them. It was a clear evening and he had slipped away from Cross Academy, where he and his loyal group of noble vampire followers had taken up residence in recent years to help the headmaster further his goal of achieving peaceful coexistence between vampires and humans. It was a lofty goal, but one that he supported strongly. His family had history with the headmaster, who had once been a formidable vampire hunter, but was now a pacifist, dedicating his energy to the greater good.

Kaname was a pureblood vampire, and that fact coloured every aspect of his life. He had a close circle of loyal subjects who wouldn't hesitate to give their lives for him, and many special abilities thanks to his pure, unspoiled vampire blood. He was able to sense other vampires, humans, and vampire hunters very acutely, and as he strolled down the street towards the next block of shops he became aware of an unusual aura, very weak, and not far from where he was. He identified it as that of a Level D.

Level D vampires were one of the lowest forms of the species. They were born human, and turned into vampires by the bite of a pureblood, like himself. Unfortunately, if they did not drink from their creator, then it was only a matter of time before their minds cracked from the desire for blood, and they became monsters. Then they were called Level E's, and that was a state that could not be repaired. Death was the only option for dispatching those who had lost themselves to the thirst. The human mind was not able to support the vampire cravings and sensuality.

But the aura Kaname sensed was not only that of a Level D. It was also that of a hunter. Hunters were rarely turned into vampires, and any that had undergone the transformation usually killed themselves or were dispatched by their comrades quickly, to prevent the inevitable fall to Level E. So it was with great curiosity that Kaname moved towards the source of the strange aura. He cloaked his own power, so that he would not be detected as he followed the trail down a small side street and then into an alley between two buildings. The smell of blood permeated the whole area, but it wasn't fresh. It was at least a day or two old. The smell grew stronger as Kaname neared the end of the alley, finding a large building that was boarded up. The aura was coming from within.

Kaname walked up the front steps and extended his telekinetic abilities to unbolt the heavy old door, swinging it open and stepping over the threshold. He gave his eyes a moment to adjust to the blackness and followed his senses down a crumbling set of stairs. A small rectangle of light streaming in from the one un-boarded window illuminated the basement room enough that he could see a figure slumped beneath it. The entire room was awash in the scent of blood. Kaname's eyes tinged red for a moment and his nostrils flared as he took in the scent. It belonged to two people, a human and the creature who lay on the floor under the window.

He could see easily in the darkness, and looked over the blood covered boy, noting that he was unconscious or asleep, breathing shallowly. His body was still except for tremors that shook it every few seconds. Kaname considered simply killing the obviously injured and suffering boy outright, but curiosity got the better of him. He wanted to know what had happened. He wanted to know who this boy was and how he'd ended up in such a state. He could always kill him later if he proved to be trouble. There wasn't a very large population of hunters as it was. Perhaps Cross would know something about him.

The brown-haired pureblood removed his jacket and draped it over the boy, then gathered him up in his arms. His head hung limp to one side and his breathing became even shallower. The tremors that had been every few seconds intensified so that he was shivering continuously. Kaname felt his aura weakening and picked up his pace, using a burst of vampire speed to take the mysterious boy far away from the boarded up building, towards Cross Academy.

* * *

 **A/N:** Oooohhh that was so much fun to write! I was up until 4AM with it last night and didn't trust myself to proofread in until today. The original way I had outlined the chapter changed as the story took hold when I was typing and wrote itself. Love when that happens!

We finally get to meet Kaname, even though it was only for a moment! I know I made everyone wait a very long time for him to appear… guess I like to torture my readers a little along with my characters, heh heh. More coming soon! Please let me know what you think! Thanks for looking :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Kaname arrived at the Academy and headed for Kaien Cross' home, wanting to avoid the Moon Dorms, where the vampire population would have been aroused and agitated by so much blood in the air. He knocked on the door and extended his senses within, searching for Yuki and the headmaster's energies. He only felt Cross' aura, which was heading to the door. In his arms, the mysterious young man was shivering violently, but remained unresponsive. He was limp, dead weight.

The door opened to reveal the Academy headmaster, an attractive blonde man who kept his long, straight hair tied, though some shorter pieces framed his face. He was wearing a ridiculous frilly pink apron over more normal clothing. Kaname was generally amused by the contrast presented by the powerful vampire hunter who flitted about like a brainless twit most of the time, but could become serious and focused at the drop of a hat.

When he saw Kaname he smiled enthusiastically, but as soon as he noticed the boy in his arms, his expression became more serious.

"Poor thing, what happened to him?" he asked, stepping aside in invitation for Kaname to enter.

"I'm not sure," the pureblood answered in a soft voice. "I found him in an abandoned building. He's been shot."

"Well bring him in, we'll get him all fixed up. There's a spare room down the hall on the left." Cross shut the door behind Kaname as he carried the shivering boy through the house and into the indicated room. Inside there was a fluffy looking double bed with a flowery pink duvet and lots of pillows atop it. The tall vampire gently set the mysterious boy down, leaving him covered with his trench. He took a moment to examine his face, though it was hard to really see his features because he was painted in dried blood from head to toe. Most of it was not his own, so clearly he'd killed someone. Kaname was quite certain that he was not a Level E yet, but that didn't mean that he was a good person, or in control of his hunger. He brushed his hand over the unconscious hunter's trembling brow. It was covered in a thin sheen of sweat, but felt icy cold. Many scrapes and bruises in various stages of healing marked his face. Some pretty awful stuff must have transpired even before the event that led him to that abandoned building.

Kaname knew that any human who became a vampire typically suffered a lot with the transformation, and it was his understanding that their inability to cope was part of what eventually dragged them into madness. He wondered how this young man's hunter lineage tied in, and why nobody had killed him outright after he was bitten. The dark-haired vampire's eyes found the horrific throat scar and recognized it as a bite mark, though it was obviously not done with any care and must have been a terrible wound when it was administered. The boy was lucky to have survived such a bite at all. It was completely healed and scarred over, so it had not been a recent incident, clearly. How long had he been in this state? What awful things had transpired to put him in that boarded up basement with so many injuries?

Kaname was not a creature who felt much pity. He wasn't insensitive to others, but he didn't go around with a bleeding heart for every misfit he came across either. He couldn't put his finger exactly on why he was so curious about the nameless young man, but he didn't want to see any harm come to him, despite knowing almost nothing about him. He was interrupted from his thoughts by Cross, who joined him at the edge of the bed, looking over his strange guest scrupulously.

The headmaster put a hand over the wound in the boy's arm. He lifted the arm, inspecting it. The bullet had been a through and through, only damaging soft tissue. He palpated up to the more serious shoulder injury. Lifting the young hunter's torso carefully, he checked for an exit wound and found none. The unconscious boy moaned in pain, a furrow knitting his brows. Cross let his shoulder rest back on the bed and the pained expression subsided.

"He doesn't look so good, I think there is still a bullet in his shoulder. At least it looks like it was from a regular gun, and not from an anti-vampire weapon. We've got to get that out of him or he won't be able to heal, even with blood." The kindly headmaster pushed his glasses up the brim of his nose and turned to the pureblood beside him. "Do you think you could try to get it out, while I get some first aid supplies?"

Kaname nodded, still somewhat distracted by the unconscious figure's face. He was left alone in the room as Cross went to get what he needed.

Kaname placed a hand on the bloody ex-human's shoulder, over the hole where the bullet had entered. He focused on the area, extending his energy like an extra hand that could pass into the flesh and feel for the slug lodged deeper down. He found it buried in the scapula, which had stopped it from exiting out of the boy's back. He gave a silent 'pull' on the metal, feeling it dislodge from the bone and begin to push backwards, out of the open wound.

Zero felt like his whole body was on fire. Everything hurt, but he was awoken by a singular and excruciating pain that abruptly ripped through his already throbbing shoulder without warning. His eyes flew open in a panic and he expected to see Higashi or a client over him, but instead there was a pair of deep auburn eyes very close to him and an awful pressure in his shoulder. He saw a little lump of something dark seem to float up in front of his face, and then it was plucked from the air by the creature before him and set down somewhere out of his vision.

Disoriented and confused, Zero tried to get up and found that he could hardly move. His right arm was in so much pain that he couldn't flex any of the muscles, and each breath he took punctuated how badly his shoulder area hurt. He felt a pounding in his head and his extremities tingled with pins and needles. He must have been laying in one position for a very long time because everything felt like it was cemented in place and his mouth had never been so dry in all his life.

"Don't try to move, you are badly injured," said the stranger, who had wisps of chestnut hair hanging in his face and an unreadable expression on his lips. A hand pressed on his uninjured shoulder, as if to keep him from getting up. He was so weak that even the gentle palm was immoveable and he laid still, trying to remember what had happened. He had been floating in dreams for what felt like weeks, occasionally opening his eyes and being unable to help himself, then falling back into the darkness. He just wanted to sink back there now, and let all the pain melt away.

Memories of the prior events started to come back to him in little pieces until he recalled attacking Higashi, and his escape from the House. He had bitten him, had given in to the hunger finally, and it had felt so good, but had also led to the events that made him a murderer. He was highly aware of his thirst still, and even through all the pain and weakness it was a driving force within him that could easily leap to the fore if he gave it half a chance. He needed to get away from here before he hurt someone again.

Zero wasn't able to move, but he still had his senses. He tried, now, to feel how many others were nearby, to examine the energy of the man before him. It took a mere instant to recognize the other as a vampire. And not just that, he was a pureblood, like Shizuka. The thing pinning him down was his sworn enemy, just like that bitch who had forced this curse on him, mutating his body and twisting his mind.

"Get your hands off of me, vampire." He said coldly. His voice was a scratchy whisper because his mouth and tongue were totally dried out, but his malice was plainly evident. He tried to wiggle out from under the hand touching him, feeling revulsion rolling his stomach.

Kaname patiently waited for the disturbed boy to stop struggling and squirming. He regarded him silently for a long moment, offering no hint at his thoughts while he studied the expressive creature with fascination. He had the most incredible pale lavender eyes. They were filled with so much anger right now, but they were captivating despite that. They belied an inner fire and turmoil that was endlessly intriguing to the pureblood. Even seriously wounded, the hunter was fighting to get away from him. Interesting.

"You should try not to move. Just relax."

"Get your filthy hands off of me," Zero spat, nostrils flaring as he glared at the vampire suspiciously.

Kaname let out a small sigh and removed his hand from the boy's chest. "My name is Kaname Kuran. You are badly injured and you will need to feed in order to heal, but until that time you should remain calm. I'm trying to help you. This place is safe, for vampires and for humans. I am not your enemy."

"All vampires are my enemy," he said evenly, eyeing the lithe creature before him. He was very tall, Zero realized, and dressed in a formal school uniform that was white with black accents. Zero wondered absently why a pureblood vampire would want to go to a human school in the first place.

A tiny smile came over Kaname's face for a brief moment. "Then you are your own enemy?" he asked pointedly. "That seems impractical. Perhaps we should discuss other matters. What is your name?"

"None of your business."

"How did you end up in that abandoned building?"

Zero gave no response, his expression unchanged.

"Very well, is there anything that you _are_ willing to discuss?"

Again there was no response from the uncooperative hunter.

"Perhaps you would care to explain how you came to be covered from head to toe in human blood." It wasn't a question this time, more of an accusation. The fact in and of itself didn't bother Kaname, but he sensed that this angry young man was not entirely comfortable with his own nature and he guessed that this might be a sore spot for him. Drawing attention to it would likely be an effective method of provoking a response.

Zero froze, a guilty expression flashing in his lilac eyes. He had been trying to forget about how it had happened this whole time, with little success. He didn't need this jerk reminding him of it. He felt his anger rising again as he glared daggers at the pureblood vampire.

Kaname snorted softly. When he spoke his voice was calm. "You call me vampire as if that's an insult, but you are the one who has obviously been unable to control yourself, as evidenced by all that blood. Did you lose your tentative grip on your thirst and murder a helpless human? I can tell by your energy that you are a vampire hunter, and that you were once human. Now you are one of the lowest forms of our race, a Level D. You must surely know the inevitable fate that claims those in your particular predicament. I am not your enemy, but I will not ignore that you are a danger to everyone if you cannot control yourself." Kaname leaned close to Zero, so that he could see every one of his individual eyelashes, and feel his breath on his cheek. "Don't think that I will spare your life if you try to hurt anyone here. This school is a place of peace, _vampire._ "

Zero was incensed by the auburn-eyed creature's words. He was so furious that he couldn't even speak. When Kaname finished, punctuating the last word Zero spat in the taller man's face.

"You don't know the first thing about me," he growled out as Kaname's hand came up to wipe the spit from his cheek.

"We'll see about that," he answered back in a calm, firm tone.

At that moment Cross returned to the room, breaking the tension as he carried in a bunch of supplies. He set a big glass of water and a little container with water and a cloth in it beside the bed, and moved around to the foot of it to set the rest of the items down. Zero saw some bandages, gauze pads and disinfectant among other things. He felt the man's energy carefully; it was unusual, very similar to that of a vampire, but he was clearly human. He was a very powerful hunter, Zero realized finally. The man was wearing some ridiculous pink apron and had kind hazel eyes and a smiling face.

"Oh you're awake, great!" The blonde man said in a cheery voice. "I guess you've met Kaname already, and I'm Kaien Cross. I've got some stuff here to help patch you up. How are you feeling?"

Zero stared silently at the newcomer with skepticism. Cross looked to Kaname with curiously.

"Does he not talk?"

Kaname gave the headmaster a cool look. "He seems reluctant," his eyes flashed back to the injured hunter's. "He is also very _weak_."

Cross didn't miss the electricity that cracked as the pair glared at one another. He grinned at Kaname. "Well he must be pretty shaken up." He turned his eyes to Zero. "You must be really thirsty, do you want some water? Or maybe some blood? You can have a little of mine; you must be starving, or your wounds would have healed more. Here," Kaien started to roll up his sleeve, moving around the side of the bed to get closer.

"Water is fine," Zero said quickly, not wanting to think about drinking blood right now, even though is body was aching for it. He tried to reach for the glass, but he couldn't stretch his left arm far enough to grasp it. Cross picked it up and held it to the boy's lips, watching as he took a deep drink. He withdrew the glass and set it back on the bedside table. He retrieved the wet cloth from beside it, ringing it out into the little dish of warm water.

"Can I clean your face off a bit so we can see you? You're all messy," the headmaster said, looking for some indication that it was ok. Zero didn't say anything, but he allowed the cloth to be passed over his skin. He had a big scabbed over scrape on his chin from where he had fallen running away from the House. Cross avoided that part, passing the warm, wet cloth instead over his cheeks, nose and forehead. He rinsed the cloth out and the bowl of water turned pink with blood. Zero tried not to look at it. He felt the warm cloth again over his cold skin, its touch one of the first soothing things he had felt in a long while. A lump started to build in his throat when he thought of that. He swallowed it quickly, letting his eyes fall on Kaname. That was a great distraction from his piteous feelings, because just the sight of him made Zero's blood boil.

His face was scrubbed clean, the blood from his eyelids and the corners of his mouth carefully removed. After that the blonde man gently tended to his shoulder, pouring something over the area to clean the wound, and bandaging it up. He did the same for Zero's arm.

"Thanks, that feels better," He said to Cross as nicely as he could manage. He had to admit it felt good to finally have a clean face and to have the bullet out of him. Cross finished up and put the now red-stained bowl of water aside. His eyes passed over the little bullet that had been in the younger man's shoulder. It was sitting on the nightstand beside the glass of water. Then he returned his focus to Zero's face. The headmaster's eyes were very level and serious, but the look dissolved swiftly and the more cheery expression returned.

"What's your name?" he asked, hoping that he might be more willing to talk now.

Zero hesitated. He wasn't sure he wanted anyone to know his family name yet. It might make him a target if Cross' kindness was a false pretense. Maybe he was enslaved by the pureblood, or allied to him. He decided to only give his first name for now. "It's Zero," he said quietly. Despite his discomfort at the situation he was growing tired again, and weakening. His wounds hurt, especially his shoulder. He was on edge because of the pureblood's presence but he didn't have the strength to leave, which resulted in feeling trapped as he'd been for the past several years. He was torn because he was finally free of the hell he'd been stuck in, but now he was in a new, worse kind of hell in his mind. He was a killer. He had sunk to the ultimate low, and he had to live with that for the rest of his life no matter what else transpired. And to add insult to injury, the infuriating brown-haired pureblood was rubbing salt in that wound, making Zero feel even guiltier for his actions.

Kaname watched a series of expressions pass over Zero's face. Now that it was clean he could see its shape more clearly. He was an attractive young man, with fine features and soft lips. When he opened his mouth Kaname could see the little fangs there, just barely visible. His hair seemed to be a silvery grey, although it was difficult to tell with all the blood in it. Some small silver earrings pierced his ears, and his gaze was perpetually filled with unspoken emotion. The pureblood was satisfied with his decision to take the broken boy with him instead of killing him, though he hoped that he had control over his thirst or he would quickly become a problem.

Zero was aware of the vampire staring at him and he didn't like it. He scowled at him.

Kaname didn't have a chance to do anything else. Instead Cross turned to the tall vampire and ushered him from the room. "Why don't you give me a little time to clean our new friend up, hmm? I don't need any help, so maybe you should head to class. It is night after all, you are skipping! You're the Dorm President Kaname! You need to set an example for the others!"

With that he closed the door, not giving Kaname any time to respond. Zero relaxed visibly, the tension leaving his jaw as the powerful aura moved further from the room. He became more aware of how sore every part of him was now that he wasn't so preoccupied by the unwanted presence. Cross seemed to notice this, and he once more brought the water glass to Zero's lips. The hunter accepted it, taking a long drink that soothed his parched throat, although it didn't satisfy the ever-present need for blood. At this point he was also very hungry for regular food, and wondered how long it had been since his last meal. At least three days, he figured. He would have to eat something pretty soon. He was so weak and dizzy, and his head hadn't ceased its relentless throbbing the entire time. What he wanted to do now was sleep.

He began do drift off again, the struggle to stay awake turning into a real challenge.

"Hey, don't fall asleep on me just yet, I have more questions for you!" Cross put a gentle hand over one of Zero's and gave it a little squeeze to keep him awake. "Can you tell me where you came from? What happened to you?"

Zero didn't really want to tell anybody about his past, so it was convenient that he felt himself slipping back to sleep. After a moment he felt a warm, soft blanket being pulled over his body and it was easy to imagine that all the awful things before now had been a very convincing dream. He could still hear the headmaster talking to him even after his eyes fell shut. It struck him that this man seemed very gentle and sweet, and this seemed like a nice place. He had to admit, albeit grudgingly, that he was glad Kaname had found him and brought him here.

Before he slipped away completely, Zero felt warm skin close over his mouth, and he realized that something hot was dripping onto his lips. His eyes popped open in surprise, his initial reaction to push the wrist away, but his reserves all flew out the window when his tongue darted out and flicked over the blood on his lips. Cross held his gaze seriously, not giving him a choice.

"You can't heal from all this without a little snack, Zero. Its ok, I don't mind."

Zero was beyond the ability to argue. It was true, he was starving and he was so weak he couldn't even bring his hand up to push the wrist away from him. He conceded reluctantly, tasting the skin pressed to his lips, tracing the little slice with his tongue and pushing into it. He inhaled the delicious scent and allowed his fangs to extend as he bit down on it, opening the wound. The tiny cut Cross had made wasn't deep enough to get a drinkable amount of blood from. The headmaster winced at his bite, but didn't pull away.

"Owie, that's quite a bite! Haven't you done this before? It's not necessary to crush my whole wrist you know, it can be a little friendlier and less painful if you are gentler."

Zero's cheeks burned an embarrassed pink as he obediently let up on the pressure. He hadn't even realized that he was biting hard, he had only done what came naturally, and none of this was very natural to him. He didn't exactly have much to go on besides what little instinct had developed after his transformation. He tried not to acknowledge how good he felt as warmth flooded him, dissolving the tingles in his extremities and easing the pain in his shoulder and arm. His eyes fluttered shut as he let the sensation wash through him, his head buzzing with it. His only prior feeding experience had been so different from this unexpected consensual offering that they were not recognizable as the same thing. For the first time, the satisfaction of drinking blood was greater than his revulsion at the thought of it, but only for a short time. As soon as he recovered his senses he would again feel disgust at himself and his constant need.

Cross let Zero drink until he felt a little lightheaded, then withdrew his bleeding wrist from the young hunter's mouth. Zero's eyes opened, glowing red. He gave the headmaster an embarrassed look and turned his eyes elsewhere, trying to calm himself. He hated the way he felt driven to take as much blood as he could, to gnash his fangs into the hot flesh and tear it open. He hated how even feeding from this stranger left him breathless and on the verge of lust. Would it always be this way now? Would everything connected to blood crank up the dial on his physical senses and make him feel like some kind of animal? Zero was _really_ uncomfortable at that thought. He focused on calming himself, feeling the cravings lessen as he tucked his dark urges away. It was much easier now that he had actually consumed a decent quantity of blood.

Cross inspected the nasty punctures that stretched over the skin, grabbing a gauze pad and a bandage from the foot of the bed and wrapping himself up to stop the bleeding. His body had strong healing abilities, and he knew the wound would clot quickly, although he would certainly have a bruise from being crushed between the inexperienced vampire's jaws.

"You should rest a bit, and when you are feeling a little stronger I'll show you around. Oh and you can meet Yuki, she's my daughter!" The blonde man rose, not waiting for a response as he started to go on about how much he loved his daughter and how amazing and sweet and wonderful she was. Zero saw the headmaster crying with happiness as he described her. He rolled his eyes, finally starting to feel a little less shaky. The warmth had spread all through him like a pleasant wave and his body was very thankful for the nourishment. It was perhaps the first time in the last three years that Zero had felt that hunger inside him abate. He was satiated, at last. He was someplace safe, and the quirky blonde prattling away as he retreated from the room seemed genuine, if nothing else.

This was the best that he could hope for right now. He didn't like Kaname Kuran in the slightest, but he supposed it was better here than laying on a cold concrete floor in agony, and it was certainly better than being repeatedly raped, abused and berated. Maybe this was going to bring him one step closer to the greater purpose he had all but given up on. Perhaps he would come out of this stronger, more capable of reconnecting with his hunter roots. Maybe there was a little hope after all.

After the door clicked shut (it was refreshing not to hear it lock as it did) Zero let out a sigh of relief and allowed himself to relax more fully than he had in a long time. He felt his body mending a little at a time and was able to lift his uninjured arm without a struggle now. He curled his fingers into his pocket, carefully touching the folded photograph within. He thought back to the night he escaped the House and recalled grabbing it at the last second after he took the keys from Higashi. He had not forgotten his family, or his vow to avenge them.

* * *

 **A/N:** So I guess it's not going to be love at first sight for Zero and Kaname after all. Poor Zero, he doesn't know how to relax. At least he's in good hands!

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, followed and added the story to their favorites! More to come soon!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter** **7**

Kaname was not in the mood to attend classes after he left Cross' home. Instead he returned to the Moon Dormitory and went to his quarters, which were much larger than the other rooms in the building. He was given the best of everything, including the view, which looked over the lake towards the school on one side, and towards the Sun dorms on the other. He could see the little building beside which was the headmaster's residence, though it was mostly blocked by trees. He stood staring out of the window, letting his awareness probe back to where he could feel the ex-human's aura. It was stronger than it had been when he'd left, and the very faint scent of Kaien Cross' blood on the breeze told him why.

There had been so much blood in the air tonight, it was a reminder that he had not fed from a live donor in some time. Kaname had been using the blood substitute tablets exclusively for many months. They were certainly capable of satisfying the need to drink blood, but they didn't have any of the body, the depth that could only be appreciated when drawing straight from the vein. The texture was too thin, and it didn't coat the mouth and throat the way the real thing did. However, it was a large part of how the vampires were able to participate in this little experiment of a school. Without them, there would be too many temptations for Kaname to trust his vampire Nobles around the innocent humans, who were completely unaware of their existence as anything other than fellow students. There would be incidents, and that would reflect badly on Cross' goal of uniting both races. The pureblood knew that he had to consume the tablets along with everyone else. If he did it, they would follow. Of course it was well within his capabilities to _make_ them do as he wished, but the whole purpose of this experiment was for it to be their choice. That, and he did not care to use that ability. Forcing others to obey his whims seemed like a poor way to govern his group. He preferred that his allies be truly loyal to him, as he knew that they were now.

As the night stretched on Kaname found himself continuously honing in on the little flash of energy that belonged to the lavender-eyed boy who was so filled with defiance. He recalled the smell of his blood and how it had sent a streak of awareness through his senses, stirring him up. He hadn't felt that way in some time. He liked the challenge that Zero seemed to present. He wanted to get more rises out of him, as he had tonight.

* * *

Yuki returned to the house after completing her rounds on the school grounds. As the only member of the Disciplinary Committee (why was it called a 'committee' if there was only one person!?) it was her duty to ensure that there was no contact between the Day and Night class students except at designated school functions like dances. She had a room that she shared with Yori in the Sun Dorms, but she often spent time here as well, feeling guilty for leaving her adoptive father alone. He always made such a fuss over her, and she knew it made him happy when she spent the night here. She tucked a lock of her brown hair behind one ear, as she turned the doorknob and stepped inside. Her father greeted her with a huge hug, lifting her off the ground and spinning her in a dramatic circle.

"Yuki! You came back!" He exclaimed as she tried to pry his smothering arms off. "We have an unexpected guest in the house, so I'm really glad you're here, he's about your age and I think he could use a friend. He's sleeping for now, but when he wakes up I was hoping you could show him around and maybe help him with a bath…"

"Help him?"

"Oh, well he's kind of injured, and even though he is healing, it will take some time before he can move around very easily. Kaname found him in the town. It will be just like having a big brother! Come to think of it I've always wanted a son…"

"I can help him," Yuki said, interrupting the headmaster's thoughts about how wonderful it would be to have a son of his own.

"Great, he's in the pink room, but I think you should let him sleep for a little longer. He's been through a lot. His name is Zero, by the way."

"Alright, I'm going to work on my homework, just come get me when it's a good time." Yuki knew full-well she wasn't going to actually do any homework, but she said it anyway, going up the stairs to her room. She smiled to herself. Her 'father' was always bringing home strays, trying to rescue or help others. It was a great quality, although he was pretty intensely overbearing and his fawning could be suffocating in large doses. And in small doses. She knew, however, that all of it came from a place of kindness, and she never wanted that to change about the man who had taken her in as a small child.

The 'pink' room was what they called the guest bedroom, because Cross had overdressed it in pink wallpaper, curtains, area rug and linens. It was just so… pink. There was no better way to describe it.

She was pretty curious about who the mystery guest was, but quickly forgot about it as she opened a math book to try and study for her worst course. She was just not cut out for school, and being the entire Disciplinary Committee by herself was distracting and exhausting, but someone had to do it. The human students of the Academy couldn't find out that they were actually going to school with vampires. Yuki had always known about them, so it was fine for her to have contact with them. Most of her contact had been with Kaname, but she knew the other's in his group as well, like Hanabusa and Akatsuki. She missed the time she used to spend with the tall, auburn-eyed pureblood. It had been less lately, and that made her sad, because she always felt very safe and happy when he was with her.

Her first memories were of Kaname rescuing her form a scary vampire who was going to kill her. She didn't know why she couldn't remember anything before that, but she couldn't. After that day she had lived with Cross, but she had a special place in her heart for Kaname and admired him greatly. He seemed to be busier in the past few years, and so was she, so they didn't see as much of one another as she would have liked. That had little effect on the way she felt. She could always approach him, talk to him, or give him a hug just because she felt like it. She crossed paths with him at least once a day, as she guided the night class safely through a sea of screaming hormonal teenagers who were desperate to get a little acknowledgement from any of its members. Why they didn't just stagger the class changeover to avoid this unnecessary chaos was beyond her. Maybe it had something to do with exposing the vampires to a bunch of humans so they got used to being close to them. Either way it gave Yuki an opportunity to see Kaname for a few moments every day. Sometimes he would pause on his walk between the dorm and the school and talk to her in front of everyone. This drove the masses of human students to jealous outbursts and made it very hard to keep them at bay. She often wished she had a little help with the task. It would make it less-time consuming, and maybe then she might know what some of this stuff in her math book was supposed to mean.

As it was she was pretty out of her element, and quickly lost interest, dozing off with her face on the book.

* * *

Zero slept for a few hours, and in that time the blood he'd ingested did a pretty good job of healing many of the smaller cuts, bruises and other injuries. The twisted ankle and gunshots would take a little longer to get back to normal, but as his eyes blinked slowly open he was aware of an acuity that seemed to affect all of his senses. The colours were deeper, edges sharper, and everything smelled very detailed and intricate. It was the heightened vampiric senses, he realized. They had only been really noticeable now, because he had finally fed on blood (without being severely injured immediately thereafter). For the past three years he had been living in a dulled world, sickened by starvation, but he hadn't known what he was missing because he had never allowed himself to feed. Now he was able to understand it better, although he was still extremely weak.

He seriously needed to pee, and it drove him to try and get up to go to the bathroom. Drawing in a preparatory breath, he used his left hand to push himself up in the bed. He managed to do it, though his head swam for several seconds as he rose to a sitting position. He carefully put one leg, then the other over the side of the bed, scooting out from under the blanket that Cross had draped over him. He paused at the edge of the bed, resting and gathering his strength. He noticed how he was still covered in dried blood and realized that there was a man's black trench coat beneath the blanket. He knew immediately that it belonged to the vampire who had brought him here. Kaname's scent was all over it. Zero stuffed it under the blanket to try to get it out of the air, he hated how it made him think of those piercing dark eyes boring icily into him.

He tested his feet, putting one on the floor at a time. His ankle was very sore, but he was able to put a small amount of weight on it. He used the bed as a support, getting to his feet for the first time in days. He felt pretty unsteady, but his balance was good, and he was able to get to the door, limping slowly to avoid hurting his ankle. He opened it, looking around. The house smelled like fresh night air; he could see a window open at the end of the hall. Cross' energy was detectable somewhere above him and tried to be quiet in case people were sleeping.

Progressing slowly, Zero moved to each door nearby, hoping one was going to be a bathroom. He found it after a few tries and entered, closing the door behind himself. He stood over the toilet, letting out a sigh as he finally relieved the pressure in his bladder. He flushed and closed the toilet lid, sitting down on it. He was tired just from that little walk down the hall. He looked down at himself. He was barefoot still, and filthy. There was deep bathtub in the room. He went over to it and pulled off his soiled clothing. Cross had bandaged over his shirt it so he had to undo all the bandages to get the shirt off and only had one arm to work with. He wondered how long this would take to heal. It was already a fair bit better than it had been earlier in the evening, but the healing seemed to have slowed down considerably. Maybe he'd used up all the blood Cross had given him already. He certainly had no intention of drinking anymore of it. He could only stand so much self-loathing and he was topped up to the brim. The blood Cross had given him had come at a time when he was too weak to refuse, but the idea that he had intentionally bitten into human flesh and fed was revolting, even as thoughts of it stirred him in ways he was wholly uncomfortable with.

"That's the last time," Zero told himself firmly. He turned the knobs of the bathtub and it began to fill with hot water. He carefully slid into the tub, sinking down into the rising warmth. It quickly reddened as the crusts of blood all over him began to dissolve and melt from his pale skin. He thought about how he was basically taking a bath in Higashi's blood and felt bile crawl up his throat. It took a great deal of effort to subdue the urge to vomit. He actually stopped the water, unplugged the tub and let it drain away. When it was all gone he filled the tub again, pouring some body wash that he found close by into the water. It began to bubble up, forming soapy peaks all around him. It would be good to feel clean again, and the heat from the water was very soothing to his sore body. The bubbles smelled like vanilla, which was comforting to his beleaguered senses. He leaned back in the tub, his mind drifting. A few minutes later he was lost in thought. He wasn't paying attention and didn't hear the footsteps in the hallway, or the door pushing open.

* * *

Yuki had awoken with her face adhered to her math text by a puddle of her own drool. Blinking sleepily she looked over to the clock and realized that she'd been asleep for over an hour. She hadn't eaten dinner, and remembered what Cross had said about there being an injured boy her age named Zero in the house. Peeling her face from the book, she went downstairs and found the 'pink' room vacant. Across the hall she saw a light coming from beneath the bathroom door and peeked her head in, a wave of humid air enveloping her as she stepped inside. She immediately honed in on the figure laying in the tub. He appeared asleep, but as she pushed the door shut behind her a pair of violet eyes opened and locked on her.

"Hi, I'm Yuki. You must be Zero," she said cheerfully, not seeming to care that it was totally weird to walk in on someone taking a bath. Zero felt a blush leap to his cheeks. Sure he was used to people seeing him naked, but that was in a different context. He wasn't used to girls his own age just waltzing in on him.

"Hey…I'm not dressed! Get out!" He tried to raise his hands in a gesture to shoo her away and winced as fire leapt through his injured arm and shoulder. His arm dropped back into the water with a little splash and he grit his teeth together in pain.

"Oh I can't see anything through all those bubbles anyway. My… dad asked me to help you out, he said you were injured pretty badly. Is that blood in your hair?" The petite brown-eyed girl strode over to the edge of the tub and slid a lock of Zero's hair through her fingers. She inspected it and nodded. "Yep, that's blood, and it looks like your arm is hurt, so I'll help you get washed up." She grabbed a bottle of shampoo and squirted some into her hand.

"What are you doing?" the hunter asked, a little freaked out by Yuki's forwardness. Did this girl have no boundaries?

She rolled her eyes. "I'm going to wash your hair, just relax."

Zero scooted away from her in the water. "I don't need any help."

"I think you do, judging by your wound."

Zero's protest died on his lips as the girl knelt at the edge of the tub and worked the shampoo into his hair. She added some water with her hands and massaged his scalp. It felt wonderful, and Zero's defenses lowered a little, his head relaxing into her hands as she worked the shampoo in. He felt awkward at being touched so intimately by this girl he barely knew. He'd received exclusively beatings or sexual contact for so long that his body didn't really know how to react. He just stayed very still, letting her fingers work in his hair. He ignored how nice she smelled, and the little pulse point at her delicate throat. He was suddenly very thankful for Cross' gift of blood. It was far easier to control himself this way.

"What happened to you?" Yuki asked, but Zero didn't answer her. Undeterred, she continued. "That's quite a scar on your throat, did you get bitten by a vampire?"

Zero jerked violently at that, sitting up straight and staring at Yuki in uncomfortable surprise "What?"

Yuki smiled. "I'm only kidding, don't be so serious! I'm almost done, try to relax."

Cautiously, Zero settled back against the tub, letting her continue scrubbing the blood from his hair. Did she know what he was? Maybe Cross had told her? Or was she just making a lucky guess? He struggled to understand and could not fully relax under her touch.

"You seem tense, am I hurting you?"

"N-no," Zero stammered, his cheeks colouring. "This is just… a little weird."

"No its not, you're hurt pretty bad, I'm just giving you a hand. Everyone needs some help once in a while, don't you think? Do you want me to stop?"

Zero sighed, "Its fine."

She told him to scoot forward and she tilted him back to rinse his hair out. As his head went down into the water Zero suddenly remembered the client who had forced his head underwater in a bathtub almost exactly like this one. He tensed, his throat tightening as a flood of adrenaline rose, making his heart pound.

"No!" he yelled without warning, his eyes wild with fear. He twisted from Yuki's hands, shoving her roughly away from him. A wave of water splashed over her and the floor beside the tub.

She stumbled and fell back. Her arms flailed out, but not fast enough to restore her balance. She lost her footing and cracked her head on the tile floor. She let out a pained exclamation and rubbed her head where it had hit. A goose egg started to form, smarting sharply.

"Ow," Yuki said, slowly getting back up. She wiped water from her face in surprise, wondering what she'd done. Zero's violet eyes were a glittering whirl of emotions, looking kind of shell-shocked. She managed a smile, holding her arms up in a gesture of peace.

"Hey, Zero? Its ok…" she tried softly.

"I'm sorry," Zero apologized, feeling terrible. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, it's just a little bump, I'll be fine. Can we try that again?"

Hesitantly, Zero nodded, forcing himself to be still as she rinsed his hair. He felt his stomach flip-flopping the whole time, but he allowed her to dip him back again and carefully run her fingers through the silver strands until the suds were all rinsed away. She sat back, giving him a smile. "There, that's better."

"Thanks," Zero replied quietly, feeling very guilty for his overreaction. He avoided her gaze, looking instead at the bubbles floating atop the water.

"I'm going to grab you some clean clothes, stay here."

With that she left Zero alone. As soon as she was gone he let out a huge breath that he didn't realize he'd been holding. His skin felt all tingly and weird at being touched with such care. He had no coping strategy for this situation, no way of processing the unexpected kindness and physical contact. He was assaulted by a wave of memories from when he would take a bath with his little brother as kids. His mother would run her fingers through his hair, rinsing the soap out of it like Yuki had done. Zero squeezed his eyes shut at the thought, not prepared to relive tender moments just now.

She returned swiftly, with some fluffy towels, and a change of clothes for him.

"I'll be just outside, let me know if you need some help." She closed the door over and he heard her standing just outside of it, as promised. He pulled the plug and let the water drain away, taking with it all the remnants of Higashi's blood.

Zero struggled out of the tub and managed to dry himself off, inhaling the fresh scent of the towels and relishing in how different it was from the scratchy linens of the House. He pulled on the loose cotton pyjama pants Yuki had brought him, sliding the elastic band over his hips. The shirt was a tank top, which was good because it was easier to get his injured arm through the hole than a t-shirt would have been. Before leaving the room he went to his soiled clothes on the floor, fishing in the pants pocket for the little photo that was now his most valued possession (it was also pretty much his only possession). He retrieved it and stuffed it in his pocket, leaving his dirty clothes a heap on the floor. He limped to the door, opening it and feeling the breeze from the hall wash over his skin and make the little hairs on his arms stand up.

Yuki was absently rubbing the bump on her head when Zero exited the bathroom. She winced, seeing the angry red opening in his shoulder, and a partially healed one further down on his arm. She also noticed he was limping, favouring his left side. She was surprised at how tall he was, not knowing what to expect because most of him had been hidden by bubbles. Now that he was clean she could see that he had silver hair and very pale skin, and that he was lightly muscled all over. He was really attractive, she realized, a light blush colouring her cheeks.

"Are you hungry?"

Zero blinked nodding. "Yeah, I am." His response was punctuated by a growl from his stomach.

"Good, I was worried that he got to you already…" A funny look came over her face and Zero wondered what she was talking about.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh nothing, it's just that Chairman Cross, er, my dad, likes to cook, but he is terrible at it and is always making people eat his weird recipes. I was worried he had tried to feed you something already. Guess you were lucky so far. C'mon, I'll fix you something to eat."

Yuki ushered Zero towards the kitchen, and he followed her slowly, sitting at the kitchen island as she put a pot of water on the stove.

She surveyed him thoughtfully as he sat there, looking at the countertop. It was like a raincloud hung over him; he had no joy, seemed broken somehow. He had strong shoulders, but they slumped forward. His eyes seemed to open to a soul that was suffering and sad, what on earth had happened to him?

"So, do you have a family?" She ventured, adding some vegetables to the boiling pot on the stove.

Zero locked eyes with the brown-haired girl, remembering the expression on his father's face right before Shizuka had torn his throat out and tossed him aside like a doll.

"They were killed," he said after a pause. He saw a guilty look on Yuki's face when she heard his answer.

"Oh… sorry." Yuki said, feeling bad that she had asked that. Maybe if she offered up some details about herself then Zero would feel more comfortable? "I don't know who my parents are… I have no memory from anything before I was five. But I was really lucky, because Kaname found me and protected me when I was in danger, and then he brought me here, to live with Chairman Cross. The Chairman treats me like I'm his daughter, and he's a kind man, even though he comes off as a little strange. He means well. And Kaname always stayed in my life as well. He's-"

"A vampire," Zero cut in, his mouth hardening into a thin line. He spit the word, unable to hide his dislike for the detestable creatures.

Yuki regarded Zero for a long, silent minute, her eyes serious. A little frown knit her brows together. She nodded slowly. "Yes, he is. How do you know about that?"

Zero realized he had put himself in a position of revealing more than he'd intended, but it was too late to take it back. He resigned himself to explaining a little bit to this girl. She seemed harmless, perhaps it would be ok to tell her a few things. Besides, something about the way she looked at him made him want to be honest with her. "One of them killed my family," he said slowly, having never actually told anyone that in all this time. It made Zero remember the night like it had just happened. His hand went absently to the mark on his neck, recalling the sound of his blood rushing into Shizuka's mouth, her hands gripping him close against her body. A twinge of discomfort worked its way through him. He made a fist, clenching it until his knuckles were white as he forced those thoughts from his mind.

Yuki tended to the food in the pot, wondering if Zero was going to say more, but it seemed he wasn't very forthcoming with personal details.

"That's really sad, I'm sorry if I brought up bad memories Zero," She offered carefully, wondering what had happened. "The vampires at this school are different, especially Kaname. He doesn't hurt people. It was a vampire that he saved me from when I was little. A scary Level E attacked me, and Kaname stopped it. He's always been open with me about what he is. I know I'm safe with him. I owe him my life."

Zero's immediate reaction was to retort by saying how wrong she was, but he swallowed his words, choosing not to comment. He was a stranger here, this was her home, not his own. The people here were being kind to him, and they just so happened to be friends with vampires. For the time being, he would keep his thoughts to himself.

"What are you cooking?" He asked instead.

* * *

Later that night, Zero was back in the room he had awoken in. Despite his exhaustion, he wasn't tired. He stared at the ceiling, his mind drifting over the things he'd talked about with Yuki. She'd made some ramen for them both, and sat down beside him at the kitchen island to eat. Their conversation had turned to Cross Academy. She had told him about her position as the sole member of the Disciplinary Committee, how the Day Class students went crazy every time the classes changed over, and about how gracious the vampires were over the whole matter. She painted them as sweet, innocent, kind-hearted people, not the perverse monsters Zero knew they were. He had _really_ not wanted to continue that line of conversation. He was trying as hard as he could to be accepting, but the crap she was spouting was more than he could tolerate for the moment.

He'd finished his noodles as quickly as he could and told Yuki that he was tired, and needed to rest. She conceded and led him back to the pink guest room, telling him that she and Cross had rooms upstairs, and that he could come and find her if he needed anything. He'd thanked her for her help and for the food, and she'd left.

As the door shut, Zero felt some relief to be alone again. He'd had more conversation and stimulation in the last few hours than he was able to handle. Accustomed to always being told what to do and how to act, he wasn't used to talking about himself or being treated with such care. He didn't exactly miss his old life, obviously it had been horrendous, but he sort of missed the anonymity of it, the lack of any direct focus on himself. It was easy not to think about all the things that made him sad or angry when he was going through the motions as designated by someone else.

He shifted in the bed, feeling the soft sheets tangle around his legs. The room was filled with strange scents and sounds, and moonlight streamed in at an unfamiliar angle, making everything look deep purple. He couldn't get comfortable. A restlessness had begun to fill him, he couldn't seem to turn off his brain. His hand touched on something with a rougher texture and he closed his fingers around it, pulling the wadded up trench coat from beneath some pillows. The smell of the pureblood vampire immediately filled his senses. An image of his serious brown eyes filled Zero's mind. That insolent asshole had made it very clear who was in charge around here. Zero felt blind fury bubbling beneath the surface as he remembered how the jerk had spoken to him, veritably daring him to slip up. Well, he wouldn't give him the satisfaction. He hated all vampires, but something about that one in particular really got under his skin. It made him want to become much stronger, it gave him a drive to overcome his circumstances and regain his rightful place as a vampire hunter of the Kiryu clan. Suddenly his goal of avenging his family was blurred a little, and he was motivated by the desire to put Kuran in his place. He wanted to wipe away that overly calm look, teach him what it felt like to have no control. Then he'd see how tough he really was.

* * *

 **A/N:** Yay! Finished another chapter! Things have started to come sort of full circle, what with Zero ending up with Cross and Yuki at the Academy. I know I am probably going to get some flack for not simply shipping Yuki off to somewhere else for the story, but I simply could not do that. She has always been a very important factor in Zero's development, and even though this story isn't the same as the show or manga, I still feel like she belongs here as a supporting character. Zero needs someone gentle to help him recover from years of abuse, and I don't think he is very interested in hanging out with Kaname just yet. Speaking of them, are they _ever_ going to play nice?

More to come soon!


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Zero healed up and regained his strength over the next several weeks. His body became stronger, and the wounds in his shoulder and arm closed over, mending much faster than he had ever healed from things before. His ankle also got better, and he no longer limped or felt like anything had ever been wrong with it. He still had a scab over the shoulder wound, but he was amazed at the speed with which it had healed. He knew that the taste of blood Cross had given him was behind his newfound resilience. When he had been injured in the House, his wounds had taken so long to even close or scab over, and he was typically left with scars. Even some of those scars had now begun to fade.

The price of this expedited healing experience was that his thirst had redoubled, and was difficult to put in the back of his mind. Fortunately for Zero, he was an expert at denying himself, and managed to squelch the desire for blood deep down into a little place inside him where he could ignore it steadfastly.

As the days progressed, the heightened senses he had been experiencing began to once more dull, and the sort of generally weak and sick feeling returned. Despite this he was feeling better, and started to learn his way around the school grounds with Yuki and Cross' help. They showed him the layout of the Academy, the Sun and Moon dorms, and the two intersecting paths that connected them to the actual school building. The campus took up a huge area, and was surrounded by forest or water in every direction. It was beautiful, Zero had realized. It was a really nice place to be, and most of the people here seemed friendly and pleasant. How fortunate he had been to escape hell and end up here.

Along with becoming more familiar with everything, his hosts started to ask a lot more questions. Yuki was kind and gentle, and rarely pushed when Zero was reluctant to share, but Kaien Cross had a sneaky way of prying into him before he figured out it was happening, and had managed to get more from Zero than he wanted to share. Zero tried his best to keep his walls up, but the cheerful blonde had already figured out a lot about him, and Zero had started to think the man was freakishly perceptive.

The younger hunter had quickly demonstrated that he was a good cook, and had started to spend a fair bit of time in the kitchen for lack of anything else to do. Yuki seemed especially happy about this, and was spending more evenings at Cross' house instead of staying in her dorm. Tonight, however, she was not here, so it was just the headmaster and Zero.

The silver-haired teen never started the conversation. He wasn't very comfortable with words, and mostly stayed quiet. They'd finished a late dinner, and were sipping tea in the living room. Zero found it so weird to just sit around and talk, he couldn't imagine why anyone would want to do it. He half expected to wake up at the House with some sweaty man pushing inside him and his mouth stuffed with a gag at any moment. Surely this whole surreal few weeks would turn out to be a dream. But it was very real.

"So Zero, you've been here for a while now, and obviously you are feeling much better. I think it's about time you started attending classes as a student of the school."

Zero stared at the obviously crazy person in front of him like a deer in headlights. He had not been expecting that. How could he go to school, he hadn't been in one for so long, he would be completely behind all of the others. Besides, he… he…

His thoughts were cut short when Cross set his tea on the table and strode from the room, returning moments later with a white uniform folded neatly between his hands.

"I've arranged for a space in the Night Class, I thought you could use some help learning more about your vampire nature. I know we haven't talked about this too much, but I can see easily enough that you are not very comfortable in your own skin. I realize this may be difficult to adjust to, but it's going to help you in the long run."

Cross offered the uniform to Zero, who was in complete shock. He didn't really consider himself to be a vampire _inside_. Sure, he understood logically that they were the same thing, but he could not identify that way. He thought of his condition as a gross mutation of his former self, and the idea of living and learning surrounded by a pack of his hated enemies was something he would not even entertain. He shook his head.

"I'm not like those… things. I don't want anything to do with them."

Cross sighed and pushed his glasses up on his nose, nodding. He had suspected this would be the ex-human's reaction. "Ok, then I'll set you up in the Day Class for now, but Zero," Cross caught his eyes, all candor gone from his serious look, "I can't take any risks with the safety of my students. You have been a perfect guest here, and I am willing to trust you, but I need to be clear that feeding from any Day Class students is strictly prohibited."

Zero was totally uncomfortable at the suggestion of… feeding. That was a stark contrast to the way his body thrummed with hunger at the mere mention of it, but he had no problem agreeing to the rule. Cross told him that if he was hungry he should come to him directly, or use blood tablets. He also gave Zero a little case loaded with the tablets. He instructed him to take two with water, or dissolve two in water to sip more slowly, anytime he felt thirsty for blood.

"Thanks," he said awkwardly, slipping the little case into his pocket. He was secretly grateful for them, very happy to hear that there was a way to satisfy his thirst without drinking blood. He just _really_ didn't want to talk about it. Especially not right now. He tried to excuse himself form the conversation, but Cross stopped him.

"There are a few more things," he said before the lavender-eyed boy could leave the room. "I want you to have as much freedom to visit with the Night Class as possible, so I am making you part of the Disciplinary Committee. Yuki has been struggling to keep up with her studies, and she has a hard time keeping order by herself. I need someone who can help her, and understands the importance of the separation between the Night and Day Classes. As a School Guardian you will wear a special armband that gives you permission to be anywhere on the school grounds. You are still required to attend your classes and do all of your assignments, but you have special permissions, a little extra freedom."

Zero was overwhelmed at all of the sudden changes being imposed on him. He'd only gotten out of the House a few weeks prior, and though he found himself growing bored with all the free time, he really didn't picture himself out making friends with people and sitting in class worrying about math problems. He also didn't want to have all this extra responsibility heaped on him. He shook his head at Cross, setting down his teacup and sitting forward like he was going to get up to leave.

"I understand that you are trying to help me, but I really don't t think I'm cut out for all of this. I didn't ask to come here, and while you are very kind, I think I should be leaving. There is someone I'm trying to find. I need to keep focus on my goals. I don't have as much time as I would like to complete them." Zero sighed, feeling anxious that he was throwing away a chance at a relatively normal life. But staying here and playing schoolboy wasn't going to find him his former teacher, and it certainly wasn't going to help him avenge his family's murders. As he rose to leave a firm hand closed on his shoulder.

"Zero Kiryu," Cross said his full name, punctuating the family name carefully. Zero felt a surge of surprise and a pang of angst at hearing it spoken aloud.

"Three years ago the Kiryu family was slain by a crazed vampire bent on gaining revenge for the murder of her lover, who was an ex-human killed by your mother and father. Their bodies were discovered dismembered in the family home, but there was no sign of either of their twin sons. One was a sickly boy, and the other had great potential and a promising future training under the famous Yagari Toga, a master vampire hunter who also happens to be an acquaintance of mine. Nobody ever found out what happened to the two young boys. The Hunter association assumed that you and your brother Ichiru were both killed, and that your bodies had been too badly destroyed to be located."

Zero turned, and was staring slack-jawed at the blonde man, who put a hand on each of his shoulders, watching his reactions carefully. "Zero I can't bring your family back or ever replace them, but I can be part of a new one. You can learn a great deal here, including more about your hunter lineage and capabilities. You really do have great potential. Your hunter aura is very strong, and you've maintained your spirit through all the loss you have faced. You are special, but you are also at risk because of your vampire nature. The other vampires at this school are unique. They are pacifists, and have committed to the goal of co-existing peacefully with humans. You will never find a better opportunity than this to connect with other vampires and also be accepted as a hunter and a peer. In the past few weeks I have watched you closely. You deny yourself every happiness, avoid interaction, and keep others far away. That isolation is a sure path to madness. You must connect with other people, and going to school here will help you with that. I will let you start in the Day Class for now, but in time you will probably need to switch. Either way, I want you to participate in the Guardian duties with Yuki, and try to make some friends."

Pale violet eyes met hazel as Zero studied Cross, searching for more explanation in his gaze, but he found only sincerity.

"How long have you known who I am?" he asked after a few moments.

"Since I saw you all cleaned up. I remember the picture of you and your brother from the Hunter Association report around the time your family was murdered. There aren't that many people with purple eyes named Zero who are also vampire hunters. It was an easy connection to make. What came as a surprise was how long you have held out without becoming a Level E. Most people don't last even a year, but you can probably thank your hunter lineage for that. Every hunter has a little bit of vampire in them already, so it must have made your transition slower and less overwhelming. Unfortunately there is no easy way to stop Level E from happening eventually, but if you take good care of yourself you can probably put it off for quite some time. Drinking vampire blood should help too, but then, you would have to convince a vampire to give you their blood, or take it by force, and that may not be an easy task. There is a whole other set of rules that governs the vampire society. You will need to learn about it from their perspective in order to survive."

Zero felt totally disgusted at all this talk. He waved a hand for Cross to stop, shaking his head. "Stop, you're talking about this stuff like it's just everyday knowledge, but are you hearing yourself? I'm not drinking anyone's blood ever again, I'm not going to school and pretending I'm just like everyone else. I can't just settle into some happy little life here and pretend those things didn't kill my family."

Zero's eyes flashed with emotion and he felt his hunger rising up, his control over himself growing thinner as his emotions surged. The physical reaction was closely connected to his feelings, it was frustrating. He squeezed his eyes shut, his palms rubbing at them, willing the little tinge of red to subside. He hated how vulnerable he felt. It was wholly different from being physically exposed, because now he could not retreat into his thoughts and pretend it wasn't happening. It made him want to lash out violently, but then he remembered his attack on Higashi, and how easily he had torn out the man's throat. He couldn't let his darkness out like that ever again. He could not accept the truth about was what was really hidden inside him, clawing to get out and feed.

Cross could see that he was making the younger hunter very upset, but he knew this was a necessary conversation. For Zero to bury his head in the sand and pretend this wasn't happening would surely result in someone getting badly hurt. It was important to get things out into the light. He wanted to hug the suffering teen, but knew that a physical gesture would not help Zero right now. Instead he just watched him, offering a compassionate expression when the lilac eyes finally cleared and looked back into his own.

"Just give the school a try for a few weeks, see how it goes. If you truly hate it, then you don't have to stay. I am also trying to arrange for you to continue your hunter training. It's a little risky because the Association doesn't know about you, and they might react badly if they were to discover your condition. As I said before, you have a great deal of power and learning to control it and use it would be really good for you. The vampires here at the school are no threat, but there are many Level E vampires who are most certainly a threat in the towns and villages surrounding the school. Both the Hunter Association and the Vampire Council work to eradicate them before they can hurt anyone. You could help with that task if you wanted to, and it might make you feel better too."

This suggestion really caught Zero's attention and his stormy expression softened. "I would like that," he said to Cross, calming considerably. "I guess I can try the classes too, if you really think they will be so good for me."

"Wonderful! I'll get you set up to join in the Day Class as soon as possible," the headmaster responded, collecting both of their teacups to take into the kitchen. As he left the room he smiled to himself, pleased with the results of their conversation.

Zero thought about what they had just discussed as he went to his room, brushing his teeth and changing into pyjamas. His life was about to get very different. He would have to try and interact with a bunch of normal, carefree teenagers who didn't know the first thing about him. He would need to study for tests, and do homework like an ordinary student. Nobody was likely to touch him, make him suck their cocks on demand, or carry out perverse fantasies as his expense. He wouldn't suffer beatings or rapes, and there would be no talk of vampires, hunters, or other supernatural craziness for at least one portion of the day.

A feeling of nervous anticipation was settling in as Zero returned to his room, ready to try and sleep.

* * *

Kaname found himself once more honing in on the silver-haired hunter's aura. He had to admit he was having a hard time putting it out of his mind. He had been stalking Zero from afar for the last few weeks, drawn to him despite (or perhaps because of) how vehemently the ex-human despised him. Kaname wasn't typically one for the cloak and dagger routine, but he found himself outside in the cool night, blades of dew-soaked grass wetting his shoes as he stood under a tree a few hundred feet from Cross' house. He had heard most of the conversation between the pair, his senses plenty sharp to assist him in eavesdropping from this distance.

He saw the light go on in the guest room where Zero was staying. Through the window he observed Zero peeling off his shirt, exposing a lightly muscled midriff and the angle of his hip jutting out slightly from the waist of his pants. The hunter had a perpetually stormy expression, even when he was by himself. Kaname could sense a great deal of inner turmoil rolling off of him if he focused even loosely on Zero's energy.

The brunette made his way over the grass towards the window, concealing his aura to prevent Zero or Cross from detecting his presence. With this closer vantage point he could more easily see Zero studying something in his hands. He wore a determined, angry scowl, but as Kaname watched, it turned sad, and for the first time he could see anguish clearly in Zero's expression. The pureblood realized that he was holding a very worn old photo which had obviously been folded and unfolded hundreds of times. Pale fingers traced gently over the surface of the photo, before Zero tucked it into the top drawer of the night table and sighed heavily.

He then retrieved a familiar looking little case from his pocket, twisting it between his fingers as if unsure of what to do with it. It was a package of blood tablets. Zero looked like he was going to take some, but instead he dropped them into the top drawer of the nightstand beside the photo, closing it again. With that Zero removed his pants, unbuttoning them and sliding them down his hips, leaving him in only a pair of boxer shorts. The pureblood drew closer to the window, eyeing the muscles moving beneath the pale skin on Zero's long legs. He felt a stirring in himself, desire. He snorted, reminding himself that this boy was an ex-human, already marked by another pureblood and certainly not worth his time. In fact, skulking around in the dark like this was hardly behavior suited to a pureblood vampire. If he wanted Zero Kiryu, all he had to do was take him.

With that realization Kaname made his way back towards the school, not fully prepared to entertain the idea that he 'wanted' such a prize. Kaname had not taken any slaves or created any vampires so far in his life. He knew his parents had been against controlling others as much as possible, and that they had committed totally to each other. They didn't create ex-human vampires to toy with. They always respected humans and lesser vampires and treated them with kindness. Kaname had also seen the other side of the coin, as he grew up an orphan after their deaths, cared for (or at least controlled) by Asato Ichijo, who often had slaves in his thrall and ordered them into all manner of situations before dispatching them maliciously. The young pureblood had witnessed many instances of unnecessary cruelty at Asato's hands, and despised such treatment of innocents. Kaname knew that he would never be like that, but he wrestled at times with the idea that he could never express the darkest parts of himself. He could not deny that he had urges for violence and sexuality that had thus far gone unsatisfied. Since the moment he had felt Zero's aura and discovered him broken and half dead, Kaname had been entertaining thoughts of wild violet eyes in all manner of submissive positions. He didn't know why he was so distracted by the boy, but it was growing tiresome.

As he returned to his quarters his mood was affected by his frustration. He prepared a glass of blood tablets, tossing it back in one swallow and quickly prepared another. He settled at his desk with the glass, opening a folder with some documents he was supposed to go over spread before him. His didn't want to admit to himself that he couldn't focus on the pointless papers at all, because his attention was locked on the aura of the cranky hunter across campus.

* * *

Zero managed to fall asleep after some time, but he awoke a few hours later, his skin feeling hot and his thirst ripping at him. There was a smell… something incredible that he had never smelled before and it beckoned to him to seek it out. He found himself pushing the window open and stepping into the cool night, unable to resist the heady scent. He scarcely registered the breeze on his bare legs and the dew on his bare feet as he moved through the trees, trying to find the source of the delicious aroma.

His fangs throbbed in anticipation even as his eyes burned red. He crossed through more trees, leaves crunching underfoot as he broke into a clearing and found himself before the Moon dormitory, looking upwards at a large balcony with double doors made of glass panes. The smell was coming from within and it was much stronger here, so much so that he began to salivate. He swallowed thickly, pulling himself up the side of the building by hanging onto the lattice of vines that had worked their way into the bricks over time.

He peered through the glass doors, the smell now accompanied by a drumming beat that filled his ears and threatened to completely overtake his senses. He pulled one door open, slipping into the room.

Standing there in the shadows was a singular pale figure, sinewy and tall, wrapped in a red silk robe that fluttered open at the front, revealing a strong looking chest and small, darkened nipples. Zero felt himself caught in a deep red gaze. It was like he was being pulled in, drawn forth, unable to do anything but move towards the intoxicating presence. He found he could hear the blood rushing beneath the white skin, he could see the little flutter of a pulse as it was pumped through his body. Locks of dark brown hair stirred around the figure's face and it smiled at him, revealing a set of fangs like his own.

He was completely absorbed by the smell and the drumming beat, which he realized was the vampire's heart. At this point Zero began to imagine sinking his teeth into the white throat, wrapping the long hair in his fingers and yanking the head back so he could access more easily the delicious blood within. He crept forwards, entranced by the rhythm, not caring that this was Kaname Kuran, his hated enemy. He only cared that he tasted the sweetness that rushed through his veins.

Kaname was taller than him by several inches. He could feel pure power emanating from him. Zero did not hesitate. He could not control himself any longer, so intense was his need to fill himself with blood. He allowed his fingertips to lengthen into claws and leapt at the other vampire, knocking him to the floor and wrapping his hands around Kaname's wrists, pushing them up, pinning them over his head. Their chests pressed together, sending an electric tingle through his whole body, straight to his dick. He was already hard and throbbing and he could feel the body beneath him responding in the same way. He licked the skin where Kaname's neck met his shoulder, feeling a shiver work through the other vampire. He opened his mouth and sank his teeth as deeply as he could into the pale hollow and was rewarded with an animal growl of pain and pleasure from the figure beneath him. He felt Kaname thrust up against his body and struggle to free his wrists. Zero's clawed fingers squeezed them harder, preventing his victim from escaping.

The first wave of blood poured into his throat. It burned like liquid fire, quickly filling him with the feeling of power. He was invincible, and wrenched Kaname's head away to the side, giving himself a better angle as he bit down again. The original wound spurted blood over his face and chest as the second opened into his waiting mouth, filling it with swallow after swallow of thick, hot blood. It was the most incredible thing Zero had ever tasted. The blood pushed every other thought from his mind and screamed at him to take more, drink deeper, to dominate, to own. He could feel Kaname protesting, trying to get out from under him. Logically, he should have known that he would never be able to overtake the much more powerful vampire, but that wasn't among the thoughts he currently entertained. Kaname's squirming only made Zero want to subdue him further. He released the pureblood's throat, enjoying the feel of his fangs sliding out of their deep puncture holes, and grabbed his hips, twisting them so that Kaname was facedown. His wounds were emptying a puddle of red onto the hardwood floor around his head and shoulders, and blood was matting in his hair.

Zero growled possessively and pressed his cock between the pert, white cheeks of Kaname's ass. He lifted the protesting brunette's hips, so he was on his knees with his ass in the air, presented for Zero to inspect. He didn't waste a moment, rubbing the head of his cock over the puckered entrance, feeling it clench in fearful anticipation. He ran his fingers through the puddle on the floor and smeared the blood over Kaname's asshole, pushing two fingers into it and eliciting a whimper from the man beneath him. Without any further preparation Zero pushed himself completely inside the tight heat, hearing Kaname scream in pain. He knew from experience how this felt, how it would tear the tissue and cause horrible pain, and he didn't care. The darkness inside him was thoroughly excited by the pure blood coursing through him and he could not hold back, even if he'd wanted to. The screams only served to excite him further. He wound an arm around Kaname's torso and pulled him up on his knees, so that the pureblood's back was pressed against Zero's chest. He used his free hand to wrap around Kaname's erection, pumping it back to its full hardness and enjoying the way Kaname twisted and whimpered in his grasp. He began to thrust in and out of him in time with his strokes.

He knew he wouldn't last very long like this, and that was fine. His hunger was subsiding, and he became caught up in the heat around his cock, building quickly towards orgasm as he fucked Kaname brutally. He bit into one of the pureblood's shoulders, more to enjoy the feeling of his teeth breaking the skin than to actually drink the little bit of blood that oozed from the wound. His fist pumped Kaname faster, the bite seeming to make him harder and more excited. He could not believe that the other vampire was enjoying this, but his eyes had fallen shut and he was moaning in pleasure each time Zero's dick struck that little bundle of nerves deep inside him.

Zero pushed Kaname forward onto his hands and knees and grabbed the slender hips, impaling the panting pureblood again and again. Finally he delivered one last thrust and felt himself explode deep inside of Kaname, an animal noise bursting from him as he came harder than he ever had in his life. He felt Kaname's body tightening around him. The pureblood groaned deep from his throat as his erection spit hot cream onto the floor before them. Kaname sagged, unable to hold himself up anymore, and Zero's softening member slipped out of his heat, coated in blood and ejaculate. It bobbed in the cool air as he surveyed the trembling body lying on the floor in front of him. Zero felt a wave of possessiveness, eyeing the marks his teeth and claws had left over his partner's pale skin. It was an incredibly erotic picture. He liked the way he had marked his property.

Kaname stirred, his eyes opening slowly. He was laying on his face in a puddle of his own blood. He twisted around so that he could catch Zero's eyes. Red-ringed violet connected with auburn. Zero saw a pink tongue dart out to lick some wayward blood from his lips –

Zero's eyes shot open, confused and disoriented. He was covered with sweat. The bed sheets had been ripped to shreds, and even one of the pillows had been dismembered, spewing feathers all over the room. He tasted his own blood in his mouth and realized that he had bitten his lips, his fangs long and aching painfully in his jaws. He tried to make sense of where he was, but all he could see was Kaname's face with his eyes closed, mouth open to make noises of pleasure. He shook the thought violently from his mind, a hand coming to his face to wipe a rivulet of sweat that was dripping into his eye. His fingertips had grown into dangerous claws, the nails long and sharp. He felt a bolt of cold strike through him as he stared at them. He knew that his eyes were glowing in the darkness. He was painfully aroused, his erection pressing hard into the wadded up blankets beneath him. As he rose to his hands and knees he saw it strain against his boxers, a wet patch of pre-come already soaking through the thin fabric. Thirst and hunger gnawed at his insides, his stomach twisting painfully.

'What the fuck was that?' Zero asked himself silently, trying to get control over his body. He couldn't stop replaying the dream. It had been so real, unlike any dream he could remember. For a moment, Zero wondered if this was what it felt like to become a Level E, but he pushed that thought out of his mind quickly, not willing to entertain the possibility for even a moment.

He was so hungry, he needed blood. As fear took over his brain, his fingertips returned to normal, his erection fading. He had to get blood, he realized, or he was not going to be able to keep control. The darkness in him was so close beneath the surface, he didn't know if he could push it back down where it normally stayed anymore. Something was changing inside him.

A thought occurred suddenly. The tablets that Cross had given him. They were a replacement for blood, they would satisfy his thirst.

With shaking hands, Zero opened the nightstand drawer and retrieved the case, dispensing two tablets, which he swallowed, chasing them with water from the glass he kept on the night table. A sense of relief flooded through him, grateful that he had the tablets and that the thirst would soon abate. He didn't dare let his mind wander to what he had just experienced. It had been so real, the smells, the flavour, it was beyond his ability to cope and at the moment he needed very much to tuck it away and try to focus on breathing deeply, calming himself, and letting the little tablets do what he was promised they would.

He didn't want to remember the sick scene his mind had concocted.

* * *

 **A/N:** There you have it, we get to see a little slice of this 'Dark Side' the story has been dancing around. I admit I had a great deal of fun writing this chapter, and I hope you enjoyed reading it! Was it too much? Let me know! I would love some reviews, please!

More to come soon, although I work a lot on the weekends, so it could be a few days before I manage another chapter. Thanks for looking :)


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Early the following morning Cross knocked on Zero's door, telling him in an overly cheerful sing-song voice that it was time for his first day of school, and that he'd made breakfast. Zero was already awake, huddled in the darkest corner of the room hugging the wastebasket and wondering how much more one could vomit in a single sitting.

Things had gone from bad to worse the previous night after he had taken the two little white tablets that were supposed to satisfy his hunger. It had only been about an hour after he ingested them that his stomach started to rumble loudly, and nausea flared. Thirty minutes after that he was so violently ill that he couldn't even make it to the bathroom. Panic didn't seem to help things, but he was scared because he didn't understand what was happening. Surely this wasn't a normal reaction to the little pills? He felt even hungrier than he had before because of all the retching. He was covered in a sheen of cold sweat and his middle was continuously wracked with sharp pangs of pain. Atop that his thoughts were persistently darting back to the incredibly disturbing dream he'd had. There was no forgetting the way he'd forced Kaname (who admittedly seemed a little weaker than an actual pureblood would be) to submit to being bitten and fucked at the same time. Now that the dream was over he couldn't remember the delicious smell that had started it all, but he remembered how it made him react. How he had been entranced by it and the drumming heartbeat that drowned out all else.

Cross called to him again, "Zero? Are you up?"

"Y-yeah, be right out," he answered, worried the headmaster would open the door and see him, and worse, see the state of his room after his crazy dream the night before. There were still feathers floating everywhere. He wasn't finished processing the events of the dream yet, and most certainly wasn't prepared for how quickly his first day of classes had come; only a few hours had passed since they had talked about it. Never mind that he felt like shit.

"Ok, I've left a uniform for the Day Class outside the door!"

Zero heard Cross' footsteps move away, towards the kitchen. He steeled his resolve and pushed the wastebasket aside, struggling to his feet. He was dizzy and still sweating, and he felt cold all over, like he had a fever. He was also naked, having discarded his boxers a few hours earlier. He honestly didn't know how he was going to pull off everything that was suddenly expected of him. He hadn't been to school in years, and felt completely unprepared for such an undertaking, even without the added stress of being ill and inarguably unbalanced.

The hunter managed to crack the door open and collect the black uniform which Cross had left. It was just like Yuki's except for males, with slacks and a vest. There was a jacket that went over it, and a red necktie. The buttons were silver, shaped like roses, and the jacket was bordered by light coloured lines. Beneath everything was a white dress shirt. It was a pretty intricate uniform, and Zero was not accustomed to such things. Recently he'd worn mostly leather bondage gear or pyjamas.

He wanted to clean himself up before he put everything on. He was sure he smelled like puke and sweat, among other things, so he donned a pair of pyjama pants and peeked out of his room. The coast was clear. He darted down the hall to the bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind himself. The movement brought on a fresh wave of nausea and he dry heaved into the sink for several minutes, his eyes watering and sweat pouring down his face. Finally he was able to get into the bathtub, filling it with very hot water and sinking into the warmth gratefully.

He felt a little better when he was clean, toweling off and peering at himself in the mirror. He looked awful, pale and clammy, and there were dark circles under his eyes from lack of rest. He brushed his teeth, but couldn't get the taste of puke off his breath. What a day to start school. He knew that he didn't have the friendliest personality as it was, even before anything strange had happened in his life, but losing his family, living in a brothel for three years, and becoming a vampire had really put a kink in his social development. He didn't particularly care to make friends, but he did have to at least tolerate others without being too obtuse. He needed to avoid drawing attention to himself.

At least the reaction to the blood tablets seemed to be gradually abating. He had made it through the whole bathing experience without being sick. He dried his hair with the towel, running his fingers through the damp silver strands when he was finished. The uniform came next and it fit perfectly, right down to the shoes. He paused at the tie, realizing that his father had died before teaching him to make the knot. The strip of red silk ended up over his neck, untied, and the top button of his shirt was undone. It was more comfortable that way anyhow. The last part to don was the armband that indicated Zero was a school guardian. It seemed completely crazy to put a new student who barely knew his way around the campus in charge of protecting it, however he _did_ understand why Cross had asked him. Yuki had complained several times to him that she was stressed about trying to keep everyone in line by herself.

He was still feeling kind of hot and feverish, and his thirst was a dull roar within him, but he'd made it this far, so that was a positive. He left the bathroom and went to find out if the breakfast the headmaster had prepared was edible.

It wasn't. At least, Zero hadn't been able to stomach anything except a few sips of water, and even that had made his insides flip flop. Cross noticed right away that he looked awful, leaning close to scrutinize him.

"What's wrong Zero?" he queried.

The hunter knew he couldn't say he was fine, because he obviously wasn't, but he didn't want to tell Cross that the pills had made him sick either. He tried to give as few details as possible. "Just feeling a little tired this morning, but I'll be fine."

"Right," Cross nodded, noting Zero's oddly guilty look.

Changing the subject seemed to be the best option here, so Zero put the white Disciplinary Committee armband on the table. "Do you really want me to wear this thing on the first day? Isn't it unusual to have a new student who barely knows their way around doing this job?" The hunter silently added that he didn't want to meet a whole pack of vampires, much less do so in a position of shielding or protecting them while surrounded by a bunch of screaming girls. It made him feel like a servant, and he'd had enough of that to last a lifetime. Especially considering how short his life was likely to be.

Cross regarded the armband, as if considering Zero's point. "Ok, then since you seem to be feeling a little under the weather anyhow, why don't you relax today and help Yuki with the changeover this evening. You can begin with regular classes tomorrow morning instead. That way the other students will meet you first as a School Guardian and you can get to know everyone better tomorrow during school. Yuki will still be here shortly, because I asked her to come by and get you this morning."

Zero looked at the armband for a long minute before finally pulling it on over his jacket. "Thanks."

He excused himself from the table and used the time he before Yuki came to try and tidy up his room. He changed the garbage bag and got rid of as many wayward feathers as he could. The bed was a bit of a lost cause, so he just pulled the blanket over the shredded sheets, hoping nobody looked underneath. He opened a window to air things out, then returned to the kitchen to wait for Yuki. She arrived a few minutes later, looking sleepy but happy to see Zero. When she came in Cross explained to her that he had changed his mind about Zero starting classes today, and that he would just be helping her with the changeover later on that evening. Yuki looked disappointed, eyeing Zero and his uniform.

"Ok, well I hope you're up to doing it tonight. It will be great to have some help, and don't worry, it's easy. Just don't let anyone past. Let Kaname and the others walk by, and when they go through the gates we're done. Nobody is allowed to take pictures, so if you see anyone doing it you need to stop them right away. Aside from Kaname, Hanabusa Aido is really popular, they often go after him. They call him 'Idol.'" Yuki rolled her eyes at this, "He eats it up and loves every second of it."

With that Yuki left to start her morning classes. Zero looked down at himself, dressed up in the school uniform seemingly for nothing. He told Cross he was going to lay down a bit and went back to his room to try and catch up on all the rest he'd missed the night before. He was thankful for it, he still felt awful. He ended up falling into a deep, dreamless sleep for most of the day.

* * *

Early that evening Zero was waiting for Yuki just outside the school building. As the doors opened and students began to flood out, he stood off to the side, trying to avoid catching anyone's attention. He managed not to be seen until Yuki came out and he stepped into her line of sight. She smiled and waved an arm for him to stick with her.

Zero followed Yuki from the school, moving into step beside her. He could see a bunch of students all crowded around the big door that led to the path between the school and dormitories. When they saw him walking beside Yuki they all stopped talking to stare for a long, silent moment, then they began whispering to each other excitedly. Zero could easily hear all sorts of comments about his appearance, about how hot he was and how unusual his eye colour was. He tried to ignore it, feeling like a steak surrounded by hungry dogs. At the same time as this was happening, the scent of everyone there rolled over him at once, and the noise of all their heartbeats was quickly deafening. He wished he could clap his hands over his ears, but he knew that would look crazy. He reminded himself that if he focused on something else and relaxed he would not be so aware of these details and should be able to get through this without going berserk.

He chose to focus on Yuki. He knew her better by now and had trusted her easily since they first met, and she was right there in front of him. He hadn't expected to have so much anxiety at being surrounded by people. He felt like they were all talking at once, making the feverish feeling he still had burn a little more. The air was thick and heavy, and a wave of lightheadedness washed over him. He thought he might faint. He focused his eyes on Yuki, reminding himself that he would be ok, telling himself that nothing bad would happen. She was oblivious to his apprehension, and led him through the throng to the front of the gates. Everyone looked at her like she was going to say something. Instead the headmaster appeared at the back of the crowd and bid hello to the Day Class.

"Good evening everyone! We have a new member of the Disciplinary Committee beginning today. His name is Zero Kiryu, please welcome him to the school. He will also be attending your classes starting tomorrow, so he can tell you more about himself then. Off to your dorms, have a nice evening everyone!" Cross waved the crowd off as the doors opened and the Day Class strode down the path towards the Sun Dorms. Yuki waded through the crowd of mostly girls (why are there so many girls at this school?) to the other set of gates, which opened to the Moon Dorms. She blew a shrill whistle, getting the students' attention and sternly told everyone to get back. Zero took one side of the path and she took the other. He was thankfully managing himself a bit better, the dizziness passing as he relaxed despite the large gathering. He still had to focus pretty hard on ignoring the heartbeats and his thoughts of everyone's blood rushing through them, so when the curious students looked to him he sent glares their way to discourage their attention. They were all talking loudly, mostly ignoring Yuki and trying to crowd towards the Moon Dorm gates.

"Everyone shut up and stay back!" Zero commanded, and they all stepped into line, not arguing. Yuki was having a little more trouble on her side, with most of the girls disregarding her and pushing past one another to see as the gates opened and the Night Class emerged from within. Zero glared at her half too, barking sternly at them to stop pushing and stay back. They squeaked and did as they were told at his stern order and Yuki sighed in relief. She muttered to him under her breath that he was scary. Zero felt a little bit of satisfaction at hearing that.

Kaname exited the doors first, followed closely by a small group. One of them, a blonde with bright blue eyes, immediately started winking and waving at the girls, who swooned and ran towards him. They were quickly halted by Zero, who blocked their path with his body and his expression. The one he assumed was Aido pouted and peeked around Zero to make apologetic gestures to his fans. Zero was very aware of being surrounded by their powerful auras, which put him on edge, but he reminded himself that they were not currently a threat and that he had to do this. He looked to Yuki, who stepped in front of two girls who were trying to get to Kaname and give him something. They pushed her over, running up to the Dorm President and offering gifts to him. Yuki fell onto her hands and knees with a grimace of pain. Kaname gave the two girls a polite smile, but quickly stepped past them towards Yuki, a concerned expression on his face.

Zero was overcome by a possessive urge to keep Kaname away from Yuki. He left Aido to indulge the girls screaming and reaching for him and strode quickly to her side, placing himself between her and the auburn-eyed pureblood.

"Don't touch her, Kuran," he all but snarled, bending to offer Yuki a hand up. She scratched the back of her head and got to her feet, dusting herself off and saying she was fine with a little laugh. She proceeded to duck away from Zero to police some girls who were crowding around one of Night Class boys. Zero frowned at the ridiculous bahaviour, wondering why on earth anyone would be so enamored by these guys. He then looked to Kaname, who wasn't backing off.

A flare of intensity flashed through the tall vampire's eyes and he came face to face with Zero, regarding him dangerously. He wrapped his fingers around the red silk tie that was looped around Zero's neck, pulling him a little closer. Zero could see every little detail of his flawless complexion, and the dark lashes that framed his eyes.

"It is unacceptable to be so casual as a representative of our school, Kiryu. You must wear your uniform in the way it was intended." Long fingers buttoned the top button of Zero's shirt before he could protest, and then he felt a little tug as the tie was looped over itself and quickly tightened into a knot at his throat. A flash of memory from his dream the night before put Zero completely off, and he was suddenly imagining the feeling of sinking his teeth into the white neck before him.

He shook his head, trying to get free of Kaname's fingers. They held him fast, the tie digging in as he pulled back against it. When Kaname spoke it was so quiet Zero could barely hear it. "Besides, this way nobody will see that bite scar on your throat," he punctuated his words by tracing one finger over the bite area. Even through his collar the pressure on the spot sent an immediate reaction of arousal and hunger through his body. His cheeks coloured and he wrenched himself away from the unwanted touch, quickly loosening the tie so it wasn't as constricting on his neck. Kaname eyed Zero predatorily.

"That mark tells all of us that you are someone's property, so I can't imagine why you _wouldn't_ want to cover it up, unless you enjoy broadcasting such facts."

Kaname's words quickly infuriated Zero, who reflexively moved to slap him across the face, his anger plainly visible. His hand was caught in an iron grip before he even saw Kaname's hand move to block his strike. His fingers were squeezed painfully as his arm was twisted aside like it was nothing. The pureblood was incredibly strong. Zero was incensed, and had almost forgotten that they were currently being watched by every member of both classes, including Yuki. She came between them and tried to pry Zero away from Kaname. "Would you guys be nicer to each other? Zero we have to set an example for the rest of the school! Leave Kaname alone, he was only helping you with your tie. What's gotten into you!?" She yanked on his wrist, finally succeeding in getting him away from the pureblood, who gave Yuki an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry if we upset you Yuki, please accept my apologies." Kaname regarded Zero smugly, "I did not realize the new student was so sensitive." He continued towards the school, the other vampires all following him. As they passed Zero they gave him disapproving frowns. The hunter could hear a girl with long brown hair say something about how he was 'just a Level D' to the ginger-haired boy beside her.

Zero bit back his retorts and looked back to Yuki, who was looking at the palm of her hand. A little scrape from where she fell had welled up with a few droplets of her blood. Zero felt himself freeze in place as his eyes caught this. His immediate reaction (strengthened by the stimulation Kaname had caused by touching his throat scar moments before) was to grab her wrist and bite into it, but he was able to stop himself. He saw that all of the night class had paused in their walk, turning to look at Yuki. Hanabusa started to step forward, but Kaname went to Yuki's side before anyone else could get close to her.

"Yuki, you've injured yourself." He caught her wrist gently, turning her palm upwards to inspect the little scrape. Zero half expected his eyes to glow red and for him to attack her, but no such thing occurred. Zero didn't miss the way his nostrils flared as he sniffed the blood, but that was the extent of it. He held her small hand tenderly in his long fingers. He then undid his own tie and carefully bandaged it around her hand, securing it with a knot. "That should help stop the bleeding, but be sure to take care of it as soon as you can. It's not good to leave an open wound untreated. I hope you know that I am most thankful that you always guide us to classes Yuki, it is greatly appreciated. Perhaps you can teach Kiryu to be more helpful instead of quarrelsome."

Yuki smiled and nodded, "Thanks Kaname, I will."

The chaos died down as the last members of the Night Class disappeared beyond the doors to the school. Everyone was whispering to one another about the little incident between the new student and Kaname, but nobody seemed interested in sticking around to meet Zero. He heard a few people say he was scary. Before long he and Yuki were alone on the path back to the Sun Dorms. It was rapidly getting darker as nighttime began to take hold, and Zero felt his vampire urges strengthening steadily with the smell of her blood in the air. He needed to get away from Yuki before he couldn't hold back. He really liked her and didn't want to scare or hurt her, even if she was accepting of vampires. He tried not to inhale her scent, which was now mingled with the pureblood's because of his tie. Her blood was soaking into the fabric, slowly seeping through the layers until there was a dark patch on the lighter red of the silk. Zero found himself caught up in the image of the blood being absorbed into the fibers of the cloth and spreading through them like a blooming flower. He shook the thought from his mind, walking ahead of Yuki to keep from looking at her hand.

"Zero wait for me! What's wrong, why were you so mean to Kaname?" she started, catching up to him with effort and grabbing onto his forearm. He twirled on his heel and wrenched his arm from her grasp, his eyes blazing.

"I don't care if he protected you Yuki, he's dangerous. You should stay away from him," Zero glared hard at the brown-haired girl, unable to mask his emotions. The smell of her blood was stirring his hunger deeply, and with it he felt his frustration rising to the fore.

Yuki had known Zero wasn't feeling well today, and she could plainly see that he seethed with rage at anything to do with Kaname. Why was he so hateful towards her friend? She knew Zero didn't like vampires, but she really wanted him to understand that the vampires here were different – they weren't monsters. Couldn't he see that? The headmaster had told her that it was Kaname who found him and rescued him, so why was he so angry at him? He had only been kind to Zero. He definitely wasn't dangerous.

Yuki huffed, putting her hands on her hips. "Zero you have been mean to him ever since the first night you came here, but he isn't like those other vampires, the ones who hurt your family. He is kind and gentle, why can't you see that!?"

Zero snorted derisively. "You have no idea what you're talking about Yuki. Maybe you haven't seen it yet, but he's just like all the others, you'll figure it out eventually. Vampires are beasts in human form. They look just like people to trick us into trusting them." Zero was really having a hard time with the smell of Yuki's blood now, it was surrounding him and invading his senses so he couldn't escape it. He needed to get out of here. He once more turned from her, trying to put some distance between them.

"Zero, wait up, where are you going?"

"Leave me alone, Yuki." He snapped, moving a little faster. Thoughts played in his mind about how warm her skin would be under his mouth. He imagined the way her small breasts would crush against him if he wrapped her in his arms.

She ran after him, grabbing the back of his jacket. "Zero!"

He shrugged out of her grasp, her fingers slipping form the material of his uniform. He tried to hurry towards the Sun Dorms and she followed. He could hear her heartbeat speeding up as she tried to keep up with him on her much shorter legs. It was a deafening rhythm in his ears. His instincts were so strong, telling him that there was prey nearby, that he could easily catch her and put a hand over her mouth so she couldn't scream. She called to him again and he pictured her chest rising and falling as she panted, but refused to look at her. His jaws ached, and he knew his teeth were lengthening in anticipation. He didn't have much time before he could not control himself anymore.

She finally caught up to him. He had put his hands over his ears, trying to block out the sound of her thudding heartbeat. She caught his elbow, pulling Zero to face her. He put his hands over his face, not wanting her to see him and stepped backwards to get out of her grasp. Panic was edging in on him now, both because he feared hurting her, and he feared her discovering his secret. He knew that his eyes would be ringed in red, and he knew if he allowed himself to look at her the redness would grow with his thirst. As it was his throat felt so dry, his body ached for the nourishment that only blood could deliver. The more he thought about it the more fantasies of drinking blood his mind conjured.

"Yuki, please," he moaned, trying to take a deep breath and smelling only that enticing scent. He sank to his knees, trembling with the combined need to feed and the effort he was expending to resist hurting the petite girl in front of him.

"What's wrong, are you sick Zero? Do you want me to get the headmaster?"

Yuki was really worried about Zero. She could see his shoulders shaking and he wouldn't take his hands away from his face. She thought he was having some kind of flashback, like he'd had when she was washing his hair the first night they met.

When she suggested getting help he tensed. "No! No, I'm fine, I just need a minute, just give me some space," he managed, his voice thick. Yuki felt torn, unsure of how to help, but she backed off a few paces.

"Yuki," a calm voice came from down the path, breaking her focus on her ailing friend. She turned to see a tall figure clad in the white uniform of the Night Class.

"Kaname!" she exclaimed, relieved. Hopefully he could help. "I think Zero's sick, can you get the headmaster?"

"Yuki please leave us, I can help Kiryu get back to his room. I need to speak with him for a few minutes. I can assure you that he will be alright." Kaname drew closer, until Zero was very aware of the pureblood's proximity through his scent and heartbeat. It was louder than Yuki's and drowned hers out, although the delectable smell of her blood still permeated his other senses.

Yuki's concerned gaze passed from Kaname to Zero and back to Kaname again. He gave her a reassuring smile, tucking a finger under her chin to tilt her face upwards so he could more easily look at her. "Don't worry Yuki. Please go back to your dormitory. I will help Zero."

She gave Zero's huddled form a worried glance. "Zero is it ok if I leave you here with Kaname? He can help you."

"Its fine Yuki, please just go," he bit out, a mixture of emotions warring within him.

"Ok, I hope you feel better, I'll come get you in the morning to go to classes."

Yuki knew Zero and Kaname didn't get along, but she trusted them both, and hoped that they could peacefully resolve whatever was causing the friction between them. She retreated, making her way back to the Sun Dorm to try and do some homework before her nightly sweep of the grounds.

* * *

 **A/N:** Sorry for the delay in posting, I worked a lot over the last few days and each night when I came home I was so tired that I made little progress. I also just picked up the first boxed set of the manga and have been a little distracted… eh heh.

I had a tough time with the first section of the chapter. I made an error when I started by setting the class changeover in the morning. I realized after that they only do it at night, so I had to go back and fix it a bit. Probably better for Zero since the blood tablets made him so sick and he really wasn't prepared to start school anyhow. I hope it didn't come off as disjointed or poorly done because of this!

I decided to end the chapter here because it was getting quite long, and it would have taken me more time to finish the next scene if I included it here. I realize it cuts off kind of abruptly, my apologies! I am hoping to have the next chapter up in a day or two.

Many thanks to all the people who have reviewed, faved and followed this story! It incredibly rewarding to know that you are enjoying my work! The reviews are especially nice to receive and they really encourage me to write more. **Thank you!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Kaname watched Yuki's form disappear down the path and exit through the gate to the Sun Dorm. When he was sure she was gone he turned to Zero, who was breathing heavily and obviously struggling to control an attack of thirst. Idiot. If he had just taken some of the blood tablets that Cross had given him then none of this would be happening. As it was he was a danger to anyone who got too close, his unfettered hunger too powerful for him to control. "Kiryu, get up." He ordered evenly.

"Leave me alone!" Zero retorted, shaking his head as if to rid himself of the pureblood's presence.

"I warned you that you would not be permitted to hurt anyone here."

Zero's anger was sparked, as it typically was anytime Kaname was around. He jumped to his feet and withdrew his hands from his face, revealing eyes that glowed red and the elongated fangs peeking out past his lips. "I _didn't_ hurt anyone!"

"You would have bitten Yuki if I had not intervened. I knew as soon as her blood had been spilled that you would not be able to resist it, but I'd hoped that you were smart enough to use the blood tablets that Cross gave you. Clearly you haven't taken them or we wouldn't be here now. I came back because you failed to maintain control over yourself. I will not allow any harm to come to her."

Zero burned with embarrassment and fury. "I didn't touch her and I wasn't going to."

Kaname arched an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Then calm yourself, Kiryu. Prove to me that you are in control of your bloodlust. Go ahead, I'll wait." The taller vampire crossed his arms, tapping a finger as he waited for Zero to demonstrate.

Zero was reeling with hunger, but his hatred of the vampire before him was also powerful. He sucked in a breath and exhaled slowly, focusing on making his fangs retract. It took an absurd effort to gain even the slightest purchase, but he felt his eyes clearing a little, the red glow dying down marginally. His fangs withdrew a tiny bit. He could still hear Kaname's heartbeat loud and clear, but he attempted not to listen to it. The pureblood seemed surprised that he was able to make the small progress that he did.

"Better than I expected, but still not passable as human. It's a start, however. I know Cross gave you some blood tablets, why haven't you taken them? They will help a great deal."

The small praise was not anticipated and it made the hunter quite uncomfortable. He felt vulnerable here, he had none of the cards in this game. He hated the thing before him, but Kuran knew a lot more about this than he did, and if he was going to be of some help Zero could not refuse it. He didn't want to go around barely in control of himself, on the verge of attacking everyone around him at the slightest smell of blood. For his own sake he forced himself not to lash out angrily.

"I did try the tablets," he muttered.

"Yet you are still unsatisfied? Perhaps you have less time than I thought before you become a Level E. They should satiate you for at least the day, usually longer."

Zero didn't want to talk about this. So much about his life made him hate himself, and this detail was no less unpleasant. He didn't want this all-powerful vampire to know that he was so weak he couldn't handle taking some pills without trouble. "They just made me puke. A lot." The hunter could not bring himself to look at the pureblood. He stared at the ground, feeling ashamed. He could sense Kaname's eyes on him.

"That's not supposed to happen, but some vampires reject the tablets. It means that you cannot use them. You can only subsist on real blood." As he watched the hunter absorb that information Kaname was starting to see something in Zero that he hadn't noticed before. Through all the anger and defensive walls that Kiryu put up, he seemed very fragile. Like he had been fighting himself for so long and was growing weary of it. Even as he noted this the lavender eyes hardened once more.

"I will not, I can't do that. I can't drink from a human. I'm not a monster." Zero's face twisted in disgust at the thought.

"You must drink blood, or you will lose yourself completely, Kiryu. Those of us who are born as vampires have a high tolerance for thirst and even starvation, and can maintain normalcy for a long time without blood. Unfortunately, due to your ex-human status, you are not afforded the same luxury. You must drink regularly now that your vampire nature has been fully awakened, or you will go mad."

The conversation was beginning to scare Zero. He didn't like where it was going. He couldn't see any future for himself anymore. His goal of becoming a powerful vampire hunter was once more shrinking away into a tiny dot on the horizon, and, like a mirage, its closeness had been an illusion all along. He had hoped that Cross would help him continue his hunter training. Now that idea was being firmly crushed beneath the weight of the truth; he wouldn't make it long enough to meet that goal. The only option he saw was to prevent himself from hurting anyone else.

"I-I can't. I despise you, and all vampires. You will have to kill me."

Kaname felt a little nip of sadness at the seemingly broken spirit that had been so fiery before now. He didn't want to kill Zero, though he recognized that it was the most logical choice. He had been so intrigued by the bloodied boy when he first discovered him. He wasn't ready to let that go just yet. He could not deny that there was something within him that was inexplicably drawn to Zero. Within him was a part that wanted to dominate and own him, and now, a new part that wanted to protect him from his self-loathing and descent to madness. He knew that the idea of vampires quickly sent the hunter from calm to raging. He was very tempted to just poke at him and incite a reaction, but that was not helpful in keeping Zero from losing it. When that had become his goal he wasn't sure, but there was something tragic about being turned and then abandoned to figure it out for himself. It gave him little chance of success, but somehow he had made it all this time without any help at all. There was no evidence that he had been out feeding on people, Zero had quite obviously starved himself most of the time. Kaname was starting to see that if he didn't extend some sort of olive branch to Zero then he would remain closed to the possibility of a normal life. That seemed unnecessary. He gently put a hand on his shoulder, expecting him to squirm away from the touch, but he didn't move.

"Zero. I am not going to kill you as long as you are still yourself. And you still are. Experiencing vampire instincts and desires is now a part of you, just as your humanity governs other parts of you. You are not the same as you once were, whether you like that or not. You are a vampire now, and with the physical changes to your body and diet, there are also changes to your mind. It doesn't make you someone else, or erase your original self. It can make things more… intense. Enhance your moods, emotions and reactions just as it enhances your senses and strength. But it does not mean that you are a beast. You are wrong about vampires, we are not monsters, though we _are_ predators. The reason that humans who become vampires turn to Level E is not only physical, there is also a psychological component. You must learn to accept and use what you have been given or it will consume you and you will quickly fall to Level E."

Zero was stunned to silence. He was definitely not expecting Kuran to give him such a speech, and he had no idea how to process it. He swallowed, shrugging out from the hand that was on his shoulder. He didn't want to be touched right now, he was using all his energy on thinking and touch was distracting in any form. He was still battling with himself, but it was a fraction more manageable without the temptation of blood right under his nose.

Kaname continued, "I don't know many details of how your situation arose, but I do know a few things about the night you were bitten. I know your parents were killed by Shizuka Hio, and that she bit you. By the scar it is evident that she wasn't gentle about it. What transpired after that night is something only you know, but I can assume you were not taught anything about what was happening to you. Your training as a hunter would have at least given you an understanding of what was going on, but to experience that alone – without guidance from the vampire who made you this way – is very unpleasant. Typically a human is only changed to be an obedient slave, in which case they rarely get to drink the blood of their master, and quickly become Level E. However, there are some who are turned to be servants, companions, and occasionally a pureblood will turn a human whom they love, because it is unbearable to watch them grow old and die. In these cases the ex-human will drink from their creator, and the transformation to Level E is no longer a possibility. Unfortunately, there is also an element of their mind that becomes unable to deny their master anything, so it is not very popular to change a human for this reason. My point is that what happened to you is unusual, cruel, and abhorrent. You have received no guidance or teaching from your creator, and do not know how to survive as a vampire. You have also not been given the blood that would keep you from eventually losing your humanity. Most of our kind would agree that the only course of action is to end your life and your suffering."

"So you _are_ going to kill me then," Zero stated, crossing his arms and giving Kaname a skeptical look. This was by far the most he had ever heard the normally quiet man say. How frustrating that it was all useless to him.

"I will if I have to, but at the moment I would rather not. You have a very strong will to live, or you would have gone mad a few years ago. You're… interesting."

Zero frowned at that, the anger that had only just abated blooming once more. "I'm not some science experiment for you to toy with Kuran. I thought for just a second that you were going to give me something useful, but I should have known better. I'll deal with this myself. I don't need your help after all."

The hunter moved around the taller pureblood and down the path to go back to the headmaster's house, but Kaname's quiet words stopped him.

"I can help you control it."

Zero was torn. He very much wanted to get away from the powerful aura that rolled off of the pureblood, but he found himself unable, or perhaps unwilling to continue walking away. Nobody had ever offered him such a thing, and he could not bring himself to refuse, no matter how much he loathed the creature behind him. Very slowly he turned and came a few paces closer to Kaname. He saw only sincerity in the intelligent, serious eyes. Silence stretched between them.

"I can teach you to control your urges Kiryu, but you will have to accept yourself as you are, and make an effort to understand your nature, or it is hopeless. I said before that vampires are predators. Within you is a potential for violence, a desire to hunt and capture prey. That is something which you must accept in order to maintain control. You will need to explore it and familiarize yourself with it in order to do this. Your body has already changed, but you have yet to really become a vampire. If you want my help, then you must agree to step outside of your comfort zone. That also means extending some trust towards me." Kaname gestured to himself by placing a palm on his own chest. He knew he was asking a lot.

Lilac eyes bored into auburn, as if searching for sincerity. Kaname held Zero's gaze, unwavering.

"I don't want to hurt anyone." Zero said finally, although it wasn't really an answer. He wanted to know what he was agreeing to before he ended up forced to forfeit his values by accident.

Kaname considered his response. He was trying to be as diplomatic as he possibly could, but he needed Zero to agree to his offer, for his own sake. "I believe you already have, Kiryu. When I found you, you were covered in human blood. It is unlikely that you came into contact with that much blood by accident. Can you tell me what happened?" he tried to be as unthreatening as he could, offering only an attentive look to show he was ready to listen.

"I," Zero began, but the words died in his throat. He had never spoken of anything that had happened in the House, least of all the culminating moment of that life before his escape. He was talking to his sworn enemy, whom he loathed. Kaname seemed like he was being friendly, but it had to be some sort of game. A trap designed to lull him into a false sense of security. How could he admit his greatest shame to this beast? And if he didn't, how could he ever hope to give Kaname's offer an actual shot? "I… can try," he said after a long pause during which he warred with himself.

"Good." Kaname started to walk away, towards the school.

Zero frowned. "Where are you going?"

"We have been standing here for some time now, I would find it more comfortable to get off of this path and walk a bit. There is a spot further up where you can hop down and walk along the edge of the lake, or amongst the trees. That way we can be certain that none of the other Night Class members will overhear what we discuss."

Zero was naturally suspicious of being led off, but he surmised that if Kaname was going to harm him, he could do it anywhere. He thought it would be nice to move his legs, so he followed the pureblood to the place he had described. He easily hopped the short distance from the interlocking brick path to the grass below. It was immediately cooler and darker, and Zero could more easily smell the earth and the nearby water. He enjoyed the sound of crickets that he hadn't been aware of before. The last vestiges of bloodlust that had been nagging at him dissipated with this change in scenery, bringing some much-needed relief.

He looked at Kaname's back a few paces ahead of him. The pureblood moved with an inhuman grace and poise. He exuded confidence, but he always had a quiet calm about him that Zero didn't understand. He thought it must be the result of being the most powerful thing for many miles in every direction. Kaname was confident and fearless. He wondered what it felt like to be in control of one's own life and body. He could hardly imagine it. In fact, when he even thought of it he quickly remembered some of the less pleasant things done to him in the House, and felt anger surging at his helplessness. It was the most frustrating thing about his life as a whole. He was helpless. Events and situations were being constantly inflicted on him and he had little or no choice in his own path.

Until now. Now there was something new. He was here at Cross Academy. He wasn't a prisoner, although he doubted they would let him just run off unaccounted for. Somebody noticed what happened to him now, and there were people, like the headmaster, and Yuki, who actually seemed to like him. Perhaps they were even his friends. That was an encouraging feeling. In addition to those good things, Kaname had given him a sliver of hope that he could overcome the urges that had plagued him for so long; but in order to do it he would have to bend his own rules. It seemed like one of those circumstances that was imposed on him without his choice, only it was supposed to help him. It was also the only viable option aside from death.

The pureblood settled into a slow stroll, and Zero moved into step beside him. He was aware of all kinds of little nighttime creatures scurrying and flying close by. There was also the sound of the lake lapping leisurely at the shore, and the rustling of grass and trees on the breeze. All of these things served to calm Zero, so when Kaname finally spoke he felt a little less difficulty responding.

"You were going to tell me what happened."

Zero sighed. It still wasn't easy. "I killed someone."

"That much was already evident. Why did you kill them?"

A pang of guilt ran through him as he replayed the memory of tearing out Higashi's throat with his teeth. More than that, more than the panic to escape alive, was the sick satisfaction that it had given him to actually do it. He felt only disgust at that realization. "I lost control," Zero replied. "He was going to kill me and I reacted."

"Is that who shot you?"

"Yes, he hit me twice, and kept shooting. It happened so fast, he was dead in seconds."

"How did you do it?"

"What?" the hunter gave Kaname a startled look. "Why does that matter?"

"Humour me. I want to know what you are capable of." Kaname knew he was pushing things, but that was the whole point. Zero would never accept future lessons if he wasn't able to discuss what he'd already done.

"I ripped out his throat with my teeth. The blood sprayed everywhere, it covered everything. After that I took the keys from him and got the fuck out of there, but I was shot. I only had once chance to get free." Zero had not intended to say so much, he hoped there wouldn't be any more questions. What did those details matter, anyway? The fact was he had committed a terrible act.

Kaname arched an eyebrow. "So you were held by force? Trapped against your will?"

Zero's eyes darkened considerably and his face became stony once more. "That's not your business Kuran. I tore the man's throat out. I murdered him. It's unforgivable and inhuman."

Getting the message that certain topics were off-limits, Kaname considered his next words. "Humans murder one another all the time, although I cannot judge whether it is unforgivable or not. What matters here is that you acted out of necessity, desperation. You were backed into a corner and you fought to gain freedom. Now you have it, and you mustn't lament the methods which you employed to get here. You cannot change your actions, so it would be best to learn not to repeat the less favourable ones." Kaname ran a hand through his hair, pushing the strands form his face. He looked at Zero beside him. "Did you enjoy killing him? Did you feed on his blood?"

Zero felt awkward discussing this, it was like being touched in an unpleasant way to even think about it. "I drank his blood, then he shot me, then I killed him and escaped. I didn't do it because I enjoyed it, I did it because it was the only way."

"Ah, but I didn't ask you why you did it, I asked you if you enjoyed it. What did it feel like to rip out his throat, to take his life?"

"I don't know, why are you so insistent on this point? You want to hear about it in detail for your own pleasure? Does it get you going to know that I did something like that?" The accusing violet glare pierced Kaname through and through, but it did not elicit any sort of retort. He remained focused.

"Not at all, I want to draw light to this because you are obviously very uncomfortable with it. I said you would need to confront your new instincts and urges, didn't I?"

"You didn't tell me I would have to talk about the worst thing I've ever done! This is stupid, I don't want to relive this shit." Zero couldn't talk about this anymore. He turned to leave, but Kaname caught his arm in a firm grip that he couldn't wiggle free from. He yanked at his arm, trying to get it out of the strong hand. "Let go!"

"No." The level stare from the more powerful vampire was inescapable. Zero felt a twinge of panic at being trapped and struggled harder, nearly dislocating his own shoulder. The grip on his arm remained firm. "Don't struggle. You cannot hope to move me, Kiryu."

Zero tried to think of a way to escape, but nothing he tried yielded any result, not even stomping on Kaname's foot. He just stared at him coldly, unmoving. The fear sent adrenaline coursing through Zero's veins. His heart thundered in his ears. He struck at Kaname, trying to hit his eyes, anything to get free. Any blow that landed seemed not to matter, he never even flinched. A cold feeling of dread began to overtake Zero, his mind snapping back to the many rapes he had endured while tied down, not given a choice. He thought of the beatings, of being hit until he was bleeding and bruised. He realized that he once more had no choice about what happened to him. All he could do was retreat inside in attempt to preserve himself in the face of whatever would come next. As he slumped down, he felt Kaname's grip loosening. He barely registered it.

Kaname saw the war going on in Zero's eyes, and let it play out until the boy accepted that he could not win and stopped fighting. He then released his hold on Zero's arm, giving him a moment to collect himself. He knew he had scared him badly.

"It is not my intention to trap you or to hurt you, but we need to finish our conversation. Are you alright?" His voice was tinged with genuine concern.

"I'm fine," came the clipped reply, almost a whisper. Zero's eyes were distant. Kaname wondered if he had gone too far. Maybe Zero was more fragile than he had anticipated? He felt guilty for trapping the disturbed young man and stepped back a little to give him space. Zero stood back up hesitantly, rubbing his arm. He glared at Kaname. "If you are trying to get me to trust you you're doing a crappy job."

"My apologies, Kiryu." Kaname said finally. He moved off the path through the grass, towards the shore. He picked up a little stone and easily skipped it across the water's surface. The stars were out now, and a half moon bathed everything in a soft white glow. "I want you to explain how it felt to feed and kill because it is something natural to our kind. Human death is an inevitability if you have no guidance. The thirst for blood is very powerful, especially if it is new to you. It can drive you to do things that are not normally in your nature. Bloodlust is exactly that, lust. It is carnal. It is intimately connected to your body, and can yield heightened urges for violence. Sexuality is often involved, and emotional response. You were never prepared for this onslaught of intensity, so preventing it or stopping it would have been very difficult.

Zero was listening very carefully now. The things Kaname was describing fit what had been happening to him perfectly. He recalled the way he had responded to being fondled by the bald senator back in the House. The smell of blood had been overpowering. It'd made him almost enjoy being touched by that man, he had been moaning and panting in his grasp and salivating for a taste of blood. It was disgusting and Zero never wanted to feel that way again, but even the memory sparked a physical response. "How do I stop it?" he asked, trying to drive the thoughts from his mind. He hoped the solution was realistically possible and not something crazy.

"First tell me what it felt like," Kaname countered. He needed Zero to admit what he already knew.

Zero clenched his hands into fists at his side, his jaw working hard. "I didn't feel anything when I killed him, I was trying to stay alive. Afterward I felt disgusted, and I still do."

Kaname paused skipping stones to study Zero closely. "Then what did it feel like to drink his blood, tell me that."

Zero wished he could just get past this damn question. Obviously when Kuran wanted something he got it. "It was good, okay? It felt good. I… liked it." His whole face burned red. He whipped a stone at the water. "It's sick. The reactions… how do I stop them?"

"As I said before, you must accept it, and also feed regularly. You don't have to kill anybody to do this. It would be easiest to develop some human or vampire contacts who will allow you to drink from them. Kaien Cross is an example of someone like that. I know that he gave you his blood to assist you in healing when you first came to the school. He would likely allow you to drink from him again. However, there will not always be a willing donor to help you. Fortunately you can also hunt and take what you need. I am going to teach you to do that." Kaname knew Zero wasn't going to like that part, and was prepared for his reaction.

"That's disgusting." The hunter had a revolted look on his face and he was shaking his head. "I'm not going to hunt people."

Kaname allowed an amused smile to touch his lips. He skipped another stone across the water. "I never said we would hunt humans. There are plenty of Level E vampires around if you know where to look. I had expected that you would be eager to take down a few real monsters."

That sounded like a challenge Zero could accept. As long as he didn't think about what happened when he caught a Level E, the idea of hunting them seemed acceptable. He couldn't believe that he was agreeing to something like this. He picked up a flat stone, whipping it at the lake and watched as it skipped almost twenty times before sinking into the water.

"I'll do it."

Kaname was satisfied by this. He watched the change in Zero, a little confidence showing through all the insecurity and self-loathing. It looked good on him. He only hoped that when it came down to capturing and killing, Zero could actually do what he had to in order to survive.

* * *

 _ **A/N:** They finally had a real conversation and didn't try to kill each other! Yay!_

 _Kaname really tried to be nice here, he's given Zero a lot of information and even offered to help him out. Will Zero be a pig-headed ass and mess it all up? Will Kaname push too hard for Zero to handle? Find out soon!_

 _Let me know what you think by sending a REVIEW!_


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Zero was surprised that Kaname wanted to begin right away. He was told to go back to his room and change out of his uniform into something that would draw less attention. Then he needed to get out of the house without Cross intervening, and meet Kaname at the front gate to the school so they could follow the road into the small city a few kilometers away. Zero managed all of this quickly. He didn't pause to give himself too much time to consider what he was doing. If he thought about it he knew he would lose his nerve. When he was on the verge of it he reminded himself of his past actions, and the loss of control that the thirst brought on. It gave him the resolve to continue. It wasn't long before he was dressed in a pair of gray jeans and a plain shirt, the top two buttons undone. He hated things that constricted his neck, especially if they touched the sensitive bite scar there. It was a cool night, so he had thrown on a long dark grey coat with a high collar. His boots crunched the gravel underfoot.

He saw Kaname waiting for him, wearing all black, his long trench concealing whatever was underneath. He had it buttoned shut, his hands in the pockets. He began to walk at a brisk pace as soon as Zero arrived. Zero fell into step beside him wordlessly. His mind was full of questions and worries, none of which he was willing to voice.

After some time they arrived in the city, buildings rising to replace the trees and the sound of cars replacing those of crickets. There wasn't much going on at night here, all the shops had closed already, and only the bars were left open for business. There were few people in the streets. Kaname had been watching Zero closely throughout their walk. He knew the hunter must be curious about what they were doing, but he hadn't said a word the entire time. He just looked tense, his shoulders hunched a little, his eyes surveying their surroundings attentively. Kaname was very comfortable in this sort of place. He could easily extend his senses and find a number of level C vampires, and a few lower level B's as well. There wasn't a large population locally, but there were always a few in every city or town that was large enough to support their appetites. The Level E's were easy for him to detect – they had little control over their auras. He wondered how capable Kiryu was of sensing these things. As a Level D he would have only dull senses comparatively, but because of his powerful hunter lineage there was a strong chance he could detect a great deal. Hunters had an excellent sense of smell, just like vampires, and could easily identify their auras.

He led Zero down a dark street with little activity. There were some small shops with darkened display windows, and in between them the odd boarded up unit or dilapidated old house. He concealed his aura as fully as possible. He was practised at this, and regularly employed the technique. A pureblood's aura was powerful, and had an effect on the other vampires around him, as well as announcing his presence to any who were nearby. He needed to be undetected for now. Zero looked over to him, apparently sensing the change.

"It's easy for me to find them, but you will have to test your capabilities. There is one nearby, can you sense it?" Kaname had easily honed in on a Level E in one of the buildings further up the street. They were still fairly far off from where it was, he doubted it would have noticed them yet. "You should be able to identify its energy, as with any vampire. Use your other abilities as well, scent it, and listen for it. Try to be as silent as possible, don't think too much about it, let your instincts guide you."

Zero was wholly unaccustomed to this sort of thing. He frowned, turning to Kaname. "I don't have… instincts. I'm not like you, Kuran. This was a stupid idea."

Kaname sighed. He had known this would be a challenge for Zero, but he had expected a little more effort before he changed his mind. "You're thinking like a human still. I assure you that you do have instincts. Try closing your eyes. Listen. Smell."

Zero begrudgingly closed his eyes. At first he could only hear Kuran's breathing and heartbeat. He smelled the pureblood's scent, which had more facets suddenly, because he was really paying attention to the details. It wasn't wholly unpleasant, though he didn't necessarily like it. He turned away from him, towards the unexplored portion of the street and inhaled through his nose. There were a million smells, garbage, rubber, old cigarette butts. He hadn't thought about using his sense of smell to find anything in particular before. As he took in another deep lungful of air he became more aware of things that had previously been undetectable; there were rats nearby, he could smell their urine, and he heard their little feet scurrying somewhere in between the building. Water had a scent too, which he hadn't really thought of until now. His hearing seemed to confirm and enhance many of the things he was able to smell, and he heard the water dripping and rushing in the sewers below them.

He strained his senses, taking a few more steps down the street. There were many humans in the area, sleeping in their homes above the darkened shops. He could hear their breathing, smell their sweat and various soaps and hygiene products, laundry detergent. This was surprising. How had he never realized that he could learn so much from just listening and breathing? It was disorienting, overwhelming. He opened his eyes, shaking his head.

Kaname remained silent, waiting for him to continue. He kept focus on the aura of the Level E, which had begun to move towards them.

"There are so many different sounds and smells, how do I pick one out of all of them?"

"Focus only on what is relevant. Disregard extraneous information. It becomes easier with practise."

Zero sighed. This was a bad idea. He didn't even have any method of capturing or killing a vampire, so what was he going to do when he found one? Ask it nicely to hold still? "What do I do when I find it? I have no weapons."

"Kiryu your body is a weapon. You have everything you need for now. I have no plans to watch it lay you open if you are unable to take it down, but you are thinking too much. We are here to help you learn to follow your instincts, not subdue them. Listen. Smell. It's approaching." Kaname could hear it to the left, ahead of them, making small noises as it hopped from one roof to the next and seemed to be trying to get above them, no doubt to more easily facilitate a surprise attack.

Zero grit his teeth, stifling his frustration. He once more closed his eyes, his senses filling with an onslaught of noises and scents. He tried to do what Kaname instructed, not giving much focus to little things, and quite suddenly he became aware of a particular smell like dried, old blood and dirty clothing mingled with the telltale scent of a vampire. He heard scuffling above him, somewhere to his left. It was the Level E. He was now aware of its aura as well, how had he been unable to find it before? It was approaching quickly. He tensed, opening his eyes and looking towards where he could feel it. Kaname nodded, silently telling him to go after it.

Zero let the aura guide him now, and moved off to a decrepit building on the left side of the street. He wished he had some idea of what to do when he finally came face to face with this thing. As much as Kaname kept talking about instincts, he seriously doubted that he could fend off a crazed vampire in his current state. He was thoroughly starved and weakened by thirst. Presently, he didn't know what to expect. He had only seen a Level E once in his life, when he was a small child and Master Toga had lost his eye due to Zero's pity for the former school doctor. She had been Toga's fiancée at one point, but was bitten by a pureblood and became a Level E. Zero had only been a small child, and had not been able to understand that the kind woman was no longer herself. He'd interfered just as Toga was going to shoot her, and because of that she had clawed out his eye before he managed to kill her. Zero had been horrified, and had promised never to let Toga regret saving his life that day.

He tucked the memory away to focus, entering the building through a broken window. His eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness. He used his other senses to guide him up a crumbling flight of stairs. He paused halfway up, straining to detect the location of the creature.

Suddenly something flew at him from above. The stench of grimy clothes and dried blood enveloped him as he was struck in the chest and knocked backwards down the stairs, the thing atop him. He felt sharp claws dig into his shoulders, pinning him to the floor. He struggled, kicking at it, panic rising in him. Its eyes burned blood red, two glowing points above his face. He could see the white of its razor sharp teeth, even in the darkness. Zero rolled to one side just as the beast snapped down, its jaws missing him by a hair. He threw it off of him, struggling to his feet to run. He didn't get very far before it slammed into him once more, knocking him off-balance. He twisted awkwardly but fell hard on one knee, pain singing up his leg and making him flinch. It seized the moment of hesitation and grabbed his hair it its claws, wrenching his head back and once more moving to bite him.

Just before its teeth closed over his throat the creature jerked violently, as if it had been hit by some invisible force. Zero heard Kaname's boots crunch over broken glass and twisted debris as he came towards them. He was able to twist his head free from the beast's grasp, looking to Kaname, whose eyes glowed a faint hint of red.

Stunned, the Level E tried again to bite Zero, and again it jerked violently, this time spitting up a foam of blood, its eye's widening in pain. Kaname's expression remained eerily cool, but Zero knew he was doing something to the vampire with his mind. Its body suddenly flew off of Zero's, striking a nearby wall with crushing force. Blood seeped from its ears and nose. It growled weakly, its white teeth now stained with blood, which appeared black in the darkness. He could see that it was male, although its features were twisted. It wore a cloak which was thoroughly soaked in dried blood and filth. It tried to get to its feet, inching along the wall in attempted retreat. Kaname didn't stop it this time. It was moving more slowly, and seemed to be wheezing, as if it had internal injuries.

Zero got to his feet, rubbing his knee and dusting himself free of broken glass and dirt. He eyed the Kaname uncertainly. The smell of the blood had reached his nose, awakening his thirst. Zero had never let anyone see him as his vampire features came to the fore, except for earlier that evening when Kaname had intervened on his situation with Yuki. It remained an embarrassing circumstance he wished to avoid. He fought against the thirst, trying not to let his fangs show as they grew in anticipation, the smell of freshly spilt blood beginning to weave through his thoughts, further arousing the darkness within him. He covered his face reflexively, stepping away from the injured creature. Kaname stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Kiryu," he said softly, "Let it happen. Your reaction is normal, it's not something you need to hide right now."

Zero tried to block out his elevated senses, the sound of laboured breathing coming from the thing that was still dragging itself along the wall, away from them. Part of his mind was telling him to pursue it; his head filled with visions of capturing it and pulling it against him to bury his fangs into the warm flesh. He couldn't accept that, and felt almost physically ill at the thought. Still his mouth watered, its thundering heartbeat filling his ears.

"I can't," he panted, clenching his jaws so hard they ached. He tried not to smell the blood, but he knew already that such efforts were futile. Still, what Kaname was asking of him was more than he could manage. He had agreed to do this, but now that it came to actually going through with it he found he could not. He started to retreat further.

Kaname saw the war going on in the hunter's eyes. Though they were already glowing red with thirst, he was still resisting his urges, fighting them. This would not do. He was attempting to leave Zero to do this on his own, but it seemed he needed more encouragement. The little trickles of blood were not enticing enough. The weakened vampire would escape soon if Zero did not take him, and this was a good opportunity for him to learn from. He strode over to the crumpled figure and grabbed it by the neck, dragging it back to Zero. He let one fingertip grow into a sharp claw and slashed the side of its throat. Blood quickly began to pour from the wound. Kaname threw the moaning beast at Zero's feet, licking the blood from his fingertips. It wasn't especially good, the blood of noble vampires was much more flavourful and satisfying, but it would be more than enough to slake Zero's intense thirst.

"Kiryu this vampire is a Level E, its humanity is gone. I can smell the blood of many humans on it, it has killed repeatedly. You must drink, or kill it. You don't need to fight with your instincts right now, they will be much more manageable once you are satisfied."

Zero reeled, the smell of blood filling him totally. It was so much like that night, when Higashi was bleeding and he had not been able to stop himself. He knew it would be good, he knew it would fix all the little aches and pains in him, and make him think more clearly, see more sharply. It would heighten all of his senses and fill him with a deep satisfaction and warmth. His body was screaming for it, his teeth throbbing with the need to bite, his tongue dry against the roof of his mouth. And here was Kaname, pushing him to just give in, telling him that this creature was an evil, soulless murderer. Yet he was also repulsed by the whole scene, disgusted and filled with a loathing so powerful it still prevented him from acting. He was frozen in place, unable to move away, and unwilling to give in.

Kaname was very surprised that Zero was still resisting. He had underestimated his ability to control himself, and to suffer. There was only one more option. He strode to the still-bleeding figure and swept his fingers through the seeping wound at its throat. He came behind Zero, wrapping an arm around his waist, pressing against him from behind. He brought his bloodied fingers to Zero's lips.

"Kiryu, drink," he ordered, his voice right beside Zero's ear. He was being very careful to remain as 'human' as he could, so that Zero did not completely lose the small trust he had placed in him. If he let his eyes glow red and his fangs show too much then he assumed Zero would totally close up, and just view him as a monster. He felt the heat coming off of the hunter, and the smell of blood began to arouse his hunger. His arm remained firmly wrapped about Zero's middle. The hunter was tense against him, but he did not try to escape.

Zero felt his choice disappearing as Kaname pulled him tightly back and put long, bloodied fingers to his lips. The blood burned against them, the smell of it dominating all else. His resolve crumbled, and he parted his lips, tasting the blood on them. It was so good he immediately sucked one of Kaname's fingers into his mouth. He licked all of the red from it hungrily. His body relaxed against Kaname as relief flooded through him. His tongue trailed over the digits, his mind urging him to bite down, to pierce the fingertip so he could taste the crimson that waited beneath. He was reminded of his dream, and of the feeling of tasting Kaname's blood, and touching him, forcing him. He felt his body stir with desire, his teeth pressing more firmly over the fingers in his mouth.

Kaname was unprepared for the sensuality that accompanied the boy's actions. He watched as Zero's eyes fell shut, his tongue working over the fingers before him. Kaname could see his fangs glinting white in the darkness, and he realized that he was becoming aroused at the sight of Zero licking his fingers clean and threatening to drag his fangs over the flesh. He finished with the digits, and followed the rivulets of blood down along Kaname's palm to his wrist. He heard Zero's breathing deepen; he was smelling the skin and blood as he collected each drop and swallowed it. It was an erotic sight that Kaname hadn't been expecting. He had only been thinking of an effective way to get Zero to feed. It seemed to have worked. He felt Zero's fangs graze the skin inside his wrist. He moved to bite down, but Kaname removed his wrist before it could happen. He released Zero and guided him towards the cut he'd made in the Level E's throat instead, even though his body was thrumming with anticipation at the possibility of being bitten. He felt himself hardening considerably. He hid it as best as he could.

Zero realized what was happening as his face touched the wound and backed off, staring pensively at it. His gaze darted up to meet Kaname's. He saw the pureblood watching him expectantly, waiting for him to do it. He could no longer resist his hunger. He drove his teeth into the vampire's throat feeling them sink deep in the heat, eliciting a snarl from the creature. It struggled weakly trying to get free, but it was too badly injured. Zero felt a surge of pleasure and warmth fill him as he began to drink. He lost track of all else, curling his fingers around its shoulders and burying his face at its neck. He could hear the blood rushing into him, hear the heart pumping frantically. Each beat sent a spurt into his mouth and he began to time his swallows to the rhythm. He was completely enveloped in the taste and the heat. It felt incredible, especially because this was the first time that he was not wounded or in a panic to escape.

He was consumed by it for several minutes and withdrew only after the initial wave of pleasure released him, panting for breath. His cheeks were flushed and hot, and his body surged with strength as it began to return to a 'healthy' state. He was not entirely sated, but he felt a lot better already. He turned to the unmarred side of the creature's throat, running his lips over it until he felt the pulsing of the carotid beneath them. He tasted the skin experimentally, then ran the tips of his fangs over the moistened flesh, pressing them in deep. He liked the sound the skin made as it was sliced by his teeth. He liked the feeling of them pushing in and opening up the artery. He was rewarded by the hot liquid that filled his mouth and ran down his chin, and he was overwhelmed by the combination of experiencing all of this at once. The darkness within him was awakening, despite all his efforts to fight against it.

Kaname watched Zero become caught up in his meal, and felt his aura swell with a newfound strength and vitality. When he released the vampire, then bit him once more it sent a spark of excitement through the pureblood. He watched the muscles in the hunter's neck and jaw working as he fed, the tendons stretching and sliding under the skin with each swallow. He had to stop himself from licking his own lips at the sight. He finally knelt beside Zero and put a hand on his back.

"Kiryu that's enough. You should let him go now."

Zero felt the hand on his back and slowly withdrew, hearing Kaname's words. He didn't think he could get up just yet, so intense was the sensation. He felt overfull, glutted. He had the blood all over his face and a little on his hands. He rolled off the motionless Level E and just laid in place, the room seeming to sway around him. His eyes were faraway and fogged with pleasure.

Kaname looked to the limp and drained form and sent a burst of telekinetic energy into its chest, shredding its heart in its chest. The vampire crumbled into dust a moment later. He waited for Zero to gather himself, watching him quietly. The hunter sat up after a short minute, considering the pile of dust with an unreadable expression. He rose to his feet, brushing himself off and wiping at his chin to try and clean it up. He did not meet Kaname's gaze. They exited the building and began to walk back to the school, slowly leaving the town behind.

The sound of their boots in the gravel on the side of the road was the only thing for a while, but eventually Kaname fell into step beside Zero, glancing at him to study his expression. Would he be filled with new self-loathing because of his actions?

"Do you feel better?" he asked.

Zero looked intently at the ground. His body was singing with the effects of so much blood, it was tingling with strength. He felt incredibly good, and his reflexes and other senses were sharper than they had ever been. He wasn't hungry, finally. He tried so hard to hate himself, and he knew that later it would be easy, but for the moment he felt too good. He didn't want to say any of that to Kaname, however. He couldn't admit it out loud. He had to say something, though.

"I guess so," he answered finally."

"Good," answered the pureblood, and they kept walking.

Kaname was still feeling the effects of watching Zero lick blood from his fingers. His eyes traced the hunter's lithe form as he walked. He stepped in front of Zero without warning, blocking his path. "You almost bit me back there, Kiryu."

Violet eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't really realized that. He had been so caught up in the taste of the blood. "Sorry," he muttered. "It was… a lot at once."

"It was your instinct. It means you were able to let go enough for it to guide you. I will consider this lesson a success. You are no longer weakened, and must be feeling stronger, more in control of yourself. The next time it will be easier to catch one on your own, without my help."

"Your help," Zero repeated, "You never touched it, but it flew against the wall, what did you do to it?"

Kaname slipped back into step, the school becoming visible in the distance. "I have a variety of abilities, Kiryu." He punctuated his words with a little smile.

Zero let go of that line of conversation, returning to his thoughts and considering the young man beside him. "It must be nice to be insanely powerful and have everyone falling over each other to make you happy."

It sounded like a cross between a question and an accusation. Kaname didn't answer for a long time. This was basically as close as Zero got to starting a conversation. Depending on how he answered, he could push him away, and at this moment he wasn't feeling like doing that. "It is convenient, I suppose, but it is also isolating."

"Seems alright to me," Zero replied. "Why did you decide to go to Cross Academy? I imagine you could pretty much do anything you wanted. Why be here?"

That was an easy one for the pureblood, there were many things which tied him to the school. "Kaien Cross may come off as a twit, but he is actually quite remarkable. He was once the most powerful vampire hunter around, and I suppose technically, he still is, but he stopped killing our kind well over a decade ago and opened this school. A few years ago he started the Night Class and asked me to come and dedicate some time to furthering his ideal. I agreed because I also want peace between humans and vampires."

"Oh," Zero said, not sure what else to say about that. He just wanted to get out of here and be by himself now. He'd had enough excitement for at least a week.

"We are almost back. The other vampires will be able to smell the blood on you, so you need to get cleaned up as quickly as possible. I would prefer they weren't aware of our activities. It is an unusual thing to do."

Zero nodded in agreement. "It's a very weird thing to do, Kuran. Why did you do it? What do you care if I go crazy or starve? You can't be doing all of this because I'm 'interesting.' What's the real reason?"

Kaname arched a brow. The ex-human was perceptive. "Very well, you are correct. I do have an ulterior motive, and it's fairly simple. I have a responsibility to ensure control over the Level E population in this region. The Vampire Council have assigned it to me while I am attending Cross Academy. There is an increased number of them recently, so I will need to be more attentive to their numbers. If I wait until they get put on a list to kill them, then more humans die. Typically I have Takuma and the other nobles do most of the actual hunting, but this seemed to be a good opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. It won't solve your problem in the long run, but it should help for the time being."

Kaname knew that this was only a band-aid solution. Looking back on the evening he had to ask himself why he chose this particular activity to help Zero. He knew that without pure blood anything they did was only going to hold off immediate hunger. It would not reverse or halt his descent. So why had he done it?

He had enjoyed spending time with the hunter. He wanted to see how he would react in such a situation, if he could do it. Kaname had to admit to himself that he was testing Zero, although he didn't know why. Watching him progress through his 'lesson' had been exciting. Seeing him feed was erotic, and even now the pureblood was on the verge of growing hard thinking about it, especially about the sensation of lips and tongue on his bloodied fingers. The way Zero's eyes had fallen closed as he sucked on them was incredibly sexy. It stirred Kaname's thirst for blood, which was normally fairly easy for him to control, especially with the tablets.

It also made him wonder what it would feel like to be bitten. Never in his life had Kaname allowed anyone to drink his blood. It was an intimate act usually reserved for lovers, or an act intended to save the life of a family member or friend in serious need. Neither of these situations had arisen for him, and as such, he'd only speculated about what it felt like. He had drunk from many people in his life, but had lived almost exclusively on blood tablets since their invention. When he was very small he remembered his parents sharing their blood with him, guiding him to be gentle. He was taught that his tongue and saliva were curative, so he could heal the wound of anyone he bit, if he wanted to. After their deaths, when he was living with Takuma and Asato he was offered ex-human and Level C slaves to drink from regularly. He could also drink from any vampire he chose, because of his lineage. Even when he was a child Kaname knew he was more powerful than most other vampires. This was most clearly demonstrated by Asato Ichijo's inability to control him, but it was also evidenced in the way people did as he said, even when they didn't want to. He didn't abuse the ability, but there were times when he had bent others to his will. As he got older he needed blood less frequently, and it had been a long time since he had bitten anyone.

His mind was now filled with these distracting thoughts which made him search out the pulse at Zero's throat, fluttering steadily beneath the pale flesh. He wondered what his blood would taste like. He wondered how it would feel if Zero bit him.

As they parted ways, Kaname could not help following Zero's retreating figure with his gaze. Once he disappeared the pureblood returned to the Moon Dorms. The others were still in class for another half hour. Good. It gave him some privacy.

He started a hot shower, peeling off his clothes and stepping under the water. The spray warmed his body and soaked into his hair. He stood in the heat for a few minutes, letting it melt away his tension. As he closed his eyes his thoughts returned to the scene he'd been replaying for the past hour, recalling every detail of Zeros suggestive mouth and teasing tongue lapping blood from his flesh. He felt his cock harden, the warm water running pleasantly down its length. His hand slid over it, Zero filling his mind. As he grew harder and more excited, he put a few drops of body wash into his palm, smoothing it over himself until it lathered. He teased and stroked his erection, pulling the foreskin back to expose the head, which was reddened and swollen with pleasure. He ran his thumb over the sensitive flesh, his stomach tightening at the feeling.

Kaname pictured Zero on his knees, tempting mouth sliding over his length. He felt himself hardening further, veins throbbing along the shaft of his penis. He pumped it in his hand, moving faster as his fantasy progressed. He imagined Zero becoming more aroused as he sucked on him, pictured the violet eyes staring at him as he wrapped his free hand around his own erection and began to stroke it. In his fantasy Zero stroked himself and swallowed Kaname's cock as far as he could, his eyes watering as it hit the back of his throat repeatedly.

That image caused Kaname to shudder and pump himself much faster, his orgasm building quickly. He was already so worked up that it took just a few minutes to bring himself to completion.

As he watched the white mess wash down the drain he couldn't help but feel unsatisfied. He wanted the real thing, not a fantasy in the shower. He soaped up and washed his hair, his mind still rife with distracting images. When he was clean and rinsed he turned off the water. He selected some comfortable clothes after he was dried off and changed into them just as he heard the night class members returning to the dorm.

For the rest of the evening he could not keep his mind off of that point of energy across the campus that belonged to Zero.

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ _So that's Chapter 11. Is anyone even reading this thing anymore? Ah well I'm still having fun writing it. I had a very hard time not letting this chapter just degenerate into random sex. I knew from the beginning that I didn't want anything like that to happen just yet (I know I'm making everyone wait_ so _long…) but I nearly got carried away when Kaname let Zero suck the blood off his fingers. It was almost just a huge lemon from that point on. So… yeah._

 _Hope to update at least once over the weekend, but that is when I work the most, so it may not be for a few days. Either way, I hope you are enjoying the story and I would LOVE to hear from you! Tell me what you think, what do you want to happen?_

 _Thanks for looking :)_


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Zero knew he was pushing it, but he really wanted to wait as long as he could before going out once more to repeat the events of three weeks ago. The Level E had been like a shell of a person, and the idea that he was going to become that way terrified the hunter endlessly.

The most difficult part of the entire situation had been how it made Zero feel. He loathed the pleasure that twisted through his body, despised the newfound strength borne on the blood of another. It mattered little that it was from a detestable monster; the fact was that he had to repeat this process over and over. He seriously doubted that he was capable of the things Kaname was saying he needed to do. His mind returned to the small praise he had received for losing himself in his bloodlust. He'd nearly bitten Kaname instead of latching onto the injured Level E. The auburn-eyed vampire had looked at this as a positive sign, as if it were good that he was so far gone he could not help himself. The loss of control represented everything Zero despised about his life. He felt like a junkie that was always after the next fix. Until recently he hadn't realized that this was a theme for him, but looking back - even before his parent's death - it felt as though he had little choice in the course of his existence.

What would he do if he could really make his own choices?

That was a fairly easy question for him to answer. He would kill Shizuka Hio. He would hunt her down and rip out her throat like she had ripped out his father's, and his mother's.

Even that goal was formed due to his lack of choice. He only wanted revenge because Shizuka had taken his family from him. If none of it had ever happened and he were a little boy again, what would he want to do? Would he still want to be a vampire hunter? It was in his blood, so he supposed it was natural for him to want that, but it was in Kaien Cross' blood too, and he had eventually chosen a different path. The peaceful life seemed to work for Cross, but Zero wasn't so sure it would fit him now that he knew more about vampires. When he was little he'd had a hard time accepting that something that looked and acted like a normal human could actually be a vicious beast. It had only become clear when the former school doctor had turned into a Level E. It was his choice to try and save her that had resulted in Yagari's eye being clawed out. That day he had learned that his choices had serious consequences. He had learned the true nature of vampires.

Much had transpired between then and now, but most of it had swept Zero up like a wave and carried him here. He felt like there were only a few small places where he had changed the course of his own life. Now he was more free, but still chained to his thirst and his inevitable demise. He could make a variety of choices with the small time that remained, but every path ended with madness and insatiable thirst. Was there any point, then, in even going through the rest of the motions? Perhaps he should just give up now, and end it. It would likely be a service to society to remove himself completely. He knew that at some point he was going to lose control once and for all and not be able to come back. What if he hurt someone? What if he hurt Yuki? Or the other students? What if he destroyed someone's family the way Shizuka had destroyed his own?

If he killed himself now then he would never accomplish anything worthwhile. He would die and all his life would amount to would be suffering. As much as Zero honestly felt that it would be doing the right thing to take his own life, he could not bring himself to give up without avenging his family's murders before he did. He didn't entertain any whimsical fantasies of finding his own happiness, but he _needed_ to complete that one goal before he gave up. He would do his best to continue for now.

He wondered if he would know it was happening when he started to lose his mind. Would he still have the capacity to take his own life? He thought it would be prudent to arrange his own death ahead of time, just in case he wasn't able to make the decision when it was necessary. He supposed that, being surrounded by Cross and the others at the school, they would see it happening to him and hopefully stop him before he did anything. He hoped they would. Kuran most certainly would.

Kaname Kuran. His natural reaction to the name was to bristle and become frustrated and defensive. The pureblood was always relaxed and cool, he never raised his voice or showed much emotion. He seemed to be in control at all times. He was pampered and had the best of everything, and it seemed he hadn't suffered a day in his life. At least not as far as Zero could tell. He would just run his fingers back through his wavy hair and stare with that impenetrable gaze until Zero erupted in anger. Kuran had a way of getting under his skin and keeping him off-balance. Just when he thought he was one step ahead the pureblood would be a few steps further. It was remarkable how easily Zero became irritated just at the thought of him. It had become both worse and better since the night they had hunted the Level E. On one hand, Zero had developed a small measure of trust in Kaname, and was less worried overall about him being a vampire. He had demonstrated that he was in control of his thirst (far better than Zero was, obviously) and had repeatedly taken steps to avoid violence, and further his pacifist ideals. Overall, he seemed to be an angel compared to the picture Zero conjured of a vampire.

However, Kaname had also witnessed Zero in a very exposed, and humiliating state. He could not forget the way the pureblood had wound an arm around him, pushing blood-stained fingers to his lips to manipulate him into surrendering to his thirst. He'd done the one thing that could make Zero give in at that moment. He despised that he could be so easily worked to Kuran's will. He hated that Kuran knew how his instincts and urges operated better than Zero himself did. It was as if the pureblood had been inside his body and mind, pushing his buttons. Zero knew that it was only reasonable for him to be this way, he was _pure_ vampire, after all. Of course he would understand what Zero was experiencing. Unfortunately that knowledge did little to placate the frustrated hunter; He still got worked up just thinking about what Kuran had done.

He considered that he should be thankful to have access, finally, to someone who could teach him to deal with his vampire side. The only problem was that he _also_ had to accept it in order to do that, and Zero was having a difficult time in that department.

Finally drinking his fill of blood after so much time spent starved and weak had been a significant moment for the ex-human. Sadly it actually made things worse. Now he knew what he was missing every time he denied himself. And deny himself Zero most certainly continued to do. The thought of once more stalking another living being and draining it dry was sickening. It was abhorrent and offensive, and he knew that it had to happen again, very soon.

He tried to put that out of his mind and focus on the lesson the teacher was going over, but it was yielding little success. His transition into school life had been ok for the first week or so, until his hunger slowly returned and his patience and energy had dwindled with it. He began to drift off in class, and when he _was_ paying attention he didn't bother taking notes or asking questions. Though he couldn't blame thirst for most of his poor efforts in school, it wasn't helping things. His Disciplinary Committee duties were also keeping him up throughout the nights, wandering uselessly around the campus on patrol for wayward students. The worst part was that he would inevitably run into Kuran every few evenings. It seemed the pureblood just happened to be taking walks at strange hours and locations, at the exact moment that Zero happened to be patrolling alone in those areas.

He knew it was being done on purpose. He assumed the pureblood was watching him, assessing his control and thirst, making sure he wasn't a danger. He had seen him the last two nights in a row, just when he was having the most difficulty staving off the need for blood. That pretty much confirmed it. He expected it would happen again tonight. If it did, then he would know for certain.

When class finished Zero decided to go to one of the upper balconies to get some fresh air before he had to face his next period. To access the area he had to pass by the headmaster's office door. He hoped Cross didn't try to get him to come in – he was absolutely in no mood for the yammering idiot right now, and moreover, he worried that Cross may sense his thirst somehow, and tempt him with his blood. The possibility of accepting Cross' blood once more was one Zero hadn't entertained in the slightest. It made him far too uncomfortable.

The large wooden door was closed when he entered the hall. Usually it was wide open so students could approach freely. Zero could hear muffled voices coming from within and he smelled cigarette smoke. He could sense the energies of two vampire hunters beyond the door. One belonged to Cross, and the other was almost as 'bright' and was easily recognizable as that of his former teacher, Yagari Toga. The unexpected presence filled Zero with anxiety and nostalgia all at once. He was immediately ashamed at his 'condition' and knew that if he had to face his teacher it would be extremely difficult. Zero wished he knew how to suppress his own aura, which he thought must be very obvious to the two highly trained hunters behind the big wooden door. He tried to remain unnoticed, ducking into an alcove and closing his eyes. He let his senses unfold, as Kaname had taught him to, and listened carefully to the conversation. It sounded like they were already in the middle of it.

"Kaien, I am only doing as I was ordered. There was a violent and brutal murder six weeks ago and there have been no leads until now. We only have a few members on the police force, and it took a while for them to notice the file and figure out it was a vampire killing. Now the Association has it and they are trying to follow up on the details. They sent a few members over to the scene. It was some kind of fucked up all-boys whore-house. Most of them were pretty tight-lipped about what happened, but there was one who talked."

Zero could hear some papers shuffling. He was getting a terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach, but he didn't want to stop listening yet.

"Kid named Ryuu. No last name given. He said he heard gunshots and then one of the other boys ran out of there and nobody saw him again. He said his name was Zero, he had grey hair and purple eyes. It's a no-brainer, Kaien. It was obviously him. The Ryuu kid said nice things about him, that he tried to help him out one time, but he didn't go into detail. Kid was fucked up, scared of his own shadow and covered in bruises. That place needs to burn down. But anyway, the Association rep also asked him some background info on the victim. It was the owner of the place, a real bastard named Higashi. Had some kind of messed up double standard where some of the boys were top class whores and others were abused pretty bad with whips and chains and shit. The kid told the rep that Zero had done something to piss off the owner and had been getting the worst of it for about a year. Hard to tell if he snapped and lost it on the guy or if he was just trying to get the hell outta there. Probably both. Either way, I have my orders. The Association thinks he is a Level E. I have to confirm and they will tell me what to do from there."

"Yagari he's fine. He's been doing pretty well here, he's going to classes with the day students and hasn't had any incidents. He's taking the blood tablets. Besides, I asked Kuran to keep an eye on him too. This is the best place for him. The Association has my word."

"I know you want to rescue every puppy and kitten you meet Kaien, but he ripped a guy's throat out. I saw the pictures, there wasn't an inch of that room that wasn't covered in blood. Whether he is a Level E or not he still committed murder. Hell, do you think I wanted to find out that my star pupil whom I thought was dead all this time is a vampire? That kid was like a son to me. I don't think I could even look at him now. His parents must be rolling in their graves."

Zero didn't want to hear anymore. He felt sick. He had never imagined that Master Yagari would come here looking for him under this kind of circumstance. He wanted to disappear, but Cross was already talking once more.

"Yagari you didn't see him when he got here. Kuran found him, he was shot twice, torn apart. There wasn't an inch of him that wasn't beaten and bruised. Broken bones, old wounds, new ones. I think whatever he did was out of self-preservation. He was starving when he came here, but he has refused to drink any blood since the first night. He's suffering. He hasn't really shown any interest in making friends or doing his schoolwork. He also hates the vampires. Refused to be put in their class, even though it's the right place for him. I'm trying to help him. I talked to him about hunter training and it was the first thing he seemed interested in. He wants to keep training, pick up where he left off. When he found out that I know you he seemed really hopeful. In fact I think the thing that's kept him going since the Kiryu's murder is the possibility that he might find you and learn what he needs to avenge his family. It doesn't matter that he's been turned. He still has more potential than any other hunter around. If his twin were still alive he could become the most powerful hunter anywhere. Even without Ichiru, Zero is too important for the Association to just destroy. I won't let you take him. If the President wants him he can come here and answer to me. And you can't smoke in here, put it out."

There was a 'tsssss' noise.

"Not in my tea!" came Cross' protest. Zero could easily picture his teacher's smirk at that.

Zero was surprised at what Cross said about him. He seemed to know more about him than Zero knew about himself. Apparently that was a running theme in his life. Everyone else always held all the pieces and he seemed to be one of them, getting pushed around as others saw fit. Now his future was even more unstable and out of his control. Worse, Yagari had been a glimmer of hope for him. Hope that he could receive the training he needed to avenge his family's murders. If he refused to even look at him, then obviously that wasn't going to happen. At least Cross seemed to be really supportive. He had to admit he was thankful for that. Too bad he'd found out where Zero had spent the last few years. Could he even look Cross in the eye anymore? Now he knew that Zero had 'gotten the worst of it.' What if he tried to ask him about it? Zero wasn't sure he could form any of it into words, not that he would ever want to.

He snuck away from the headmaster's office, hoping they hadn't noticed him. Even if they had, it didn't change much. He had little choice in the matters they discussed anyway. If the Hunter's Association ordered his death it would come about, one way or another. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise. After all, he'd been contemplating his own suicide only a little while earlier.

Either way he was wholly unprepared to meet his Master under the present circumstance, so he was thankful that they hadn't seemed to notice him, or at least hadn't said anything. He couldn't imagine looking the man he so respected and trusted in the eye, knowing that he had seen the grisly scene Zero had left behind when he escaped from the House.

Zero was now late for the start of his next class. He shrugged his shoulders and decided to skip it. It's not like he was going to learn anything now that his mind was completely full of new worries on top of the ever-present thirst. He spent the next two hours beside the lake, laying in the tall grass under a tree. He lost himself in thought, lulled by the swaying grass around him.

He did not notice the tall, silver-haired figure that lurked behind a tree in the woods nearby.

* * *

During the class changeover that evening Zero glared the Day students into a submissive and obedient line-up right away. His patience was worn thin and he was extremely stressed and anxious. This made his already powerful hunger much more evident. He was very aware of all the students' hearts beating together, and did not want to risk anyone pushing and shoving, lest a small accidental injury completely undo his carefully wrought self-control. He felt the heavy gaze as the vampires moved past him. When he glanced up briefly he was met by Kaname's eyes, which locked onto his. The short connection stirred Zero's vampire urges more than he was prepared for and he quickly looked away, feeling his jaw suddenly aching with the need to bite. He turned to focus somewhere else, a furrow knitting his brow. He didn't need any more irritation and stress for one day. Kuran's heartbeat was a distracting din in his ears that he wanted to get away from as fast as possible.

He couldn't wait to drink any longer. He had to try and do what Kaname had taught him, although he knew there was a lot of risk involved. He wondered for a moment if he should ask the pureblood to come with him, but he pushed the idea far away, refusing to ask for his protection or assistance. He could do it by himself, as long as he selected his target carefully.

That night after the noises from the Sun Dorms dwindled and the headmaster went to bed Zero opened his window and slipped out into the cool damp air. He was clad all in black to make himself as unnoticeable as possible. He snuck around the campus, avoiding the lit paths and nearly running into Yuki on her patrol. He was immediately thankful for his heightened senses, or he would never have seen her in time.

Presently he was walking towards the nearby town at a brisk pace, his eyes wide, searching for evidence that he would be discovered. He tried as much as he could to use his other senses, to get into the mindset that he needed to complete his task. He had to think like a vampire, as unnatural as it was to him, or he could get seriously hurt. Kaname had told him that his body was a weapon. Now that he was once more weakened from hunger, he was glad he'd brought along a wickedly sharp knife just in case.

As he made his way into the town Zero got the feeling he was being followed. He was uneasy, already stressed about the upcoming hunt, and froze repeatedly, looking around himself, closing his eyes and listening for any signs of a presence nearby. He could only hear his heartbeat thundering in his ears. He smelled carefully, just as Kaname had taught him to do. He could detect nothing out of the ordinary amongst the scents and sounds of the night.

* * *

Kaname knew that Zero would try it tonight.

He had been watching the hunter closely, and could plainly see him developing all the signs as the days moved forward. Today he had been especially agitated. During the change between classes he'd been very curt with the Day students. When he'd managed to draw Zero's gaze, he saw the hunger plainly; a flash of crimson told him that it wasn't far from the surface. Zero would do it tonight or he would have to intervene once more and guide him to it.

When the third period class began he sensed the hunter's energy getting further away, leaving the school. He knew Zero was stubborn, but part of him had thought perhaps he would ask for some help, seeing as he had not been able to subdue the Level E on his own last time. Now he'd waited until he was just as weak once more to try it. It was foolish and dangerous. He was barely stronger than a normal human at this point, and stood little chance of success. The pureblood knew he needed to follow him or Zero may not come back at all.

When had he begun to care about the wellbeing of the obstinate hunter? That was a question Kaname couldn't fully answer, because it had snuck up on him. He'd found himself regularly preoccupied with Zero's whereabouts and energy since the night they had met, and more so after hunting the Level E together. He had started to accept that he was attracted to Zero, and excited by the idea of him in bloodlust. Those thoughts had fuelled many fantasies in the past few weeks, and just thinking about it now was enough to completely distract him from the class content. He wanted to see if Zero could do it himself this time. That is, he actually wanted to _see_ it unfold. Could Zero hunt a Level E alone?

He needed to go after him. They were writing a test this evening, so he had to remain in the class and do the test before he could reasonably leave. He knew these things were just formalities, but he had a responsibility to set an example for the rest of the vampires, and he had every intention of doing that. It took about half an hour to complete, at which point he searched out Takuma Ichijo's gaze from amongst the students. Takuma was the class Vice President, and Kaname's most trusted friend. They understood one another quite well, and he needed only a glance to communicate his message. Takuma nodded slightly and turned back to the teacher as Kaname rose and slipped from the room. One of the perks of being a pureblood was that nobody questioned you when you did unusual things, so it was easy to duck out without anyone saying anything to him.

Kaname quickly went towards the Moon Dorm. He avoided Yuki, who was patrolling the school grounds diligently. In some ways he wished Kiryu were more helpful to her because she had a lot of responsibility and it was obviously a challenge for her to keep it up. Kaname loved Yuki and would always protect her and watch over her, but right now he needed to be discreet and not be seen.

Once he was in his quarters he quickly removed his white uniform, sliding the knot of the red silk tie from his throat and tossing it onto a nearby chair along with the shirt and everything else. He donned the black outfit he'd worn last time, doing up the buttons on his trench so it hugged his body. He opened the glass door to his private balcony and peered over the campus for a moment before jumping easily to the ground and quickly making his way to the road.

He was about forty minutes behind Zero at this point. He extended his senses, feeling for the hunter's aura and was able to find it in the little town. He moved toward it, using his speed to close the distance between them. It still took him several minutes to get close. He was in the same area they had been in before, but deeper within the little criss-crossing streets and alleys.

Kaname concealed his energy as he closed in on Zero. He was nearby. He could smell the hunter's unique scent in the air, indicating that he'd passed through only minutes before. Kaname didn't want Zero to know he was watching. He wanted to see things unfold from the shadows, and only interfere if it was necessary. He slowed his pursuit, searching for other vampire energies nearby. Had Zero already found a target or was he still searching? He didn't sense any Level E's, so he must still be looking.

Suddenly Zero's aura flared brightly in his senses and then abruptly dwindled to almost nothing. Moments later it disappeared completely.

Kaname froze in place, searching for the now-familiar energy, but it was nowhere to be found. Zero was gone.

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ _Little cliffie ending for this chapter! What happened to Zero?_

 _Sorry for the delay with posting! I wrote most of this after work on Saturday, but have not been able to finish and edit it until now. I was also taking some time to solidify what I want to happen in coming chapters. I needed to work out the details before posting. I enjoyed writing Zero's introspection in the beginning of it a lot, I felt really connected with his character as I was doing it. I hope it wasn't boring!_

 _A note about Yagari Toga: I started the story calling him by his last name, but as I read through the manga I find that Zero usually calls him Yagari-sensei, or simply Master. I like his first name a lot, so I may go back and change it throughout the story to match the manga. If you notice a discrepancy, that's why._

 _More soon! Thanks for looking :)_

 _Please let me know what you think! Reviews are both helpful and rewarding. Thanks so much to all of you who have reviewed already! It's good to know someone is reading this thing!_


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Movement, like riding in a car. The feeling of laying on his side across the seats. Throbbing in his head when he tried to turn it. Zero slowly became aware of these things as he came to, unsure of what was going on. He smelled his own blood as well, and leather. He could hear a human's heartbeat and breathing.

He strained his thoughts, trying to recall what had happened. He remembered being in an alley, unsuccessfully searching for the energy of a Level E vampire to hunt. It was dark and quiet. He'd heard footsteps behind him, but was not able to turn around in time before a pain blossomed at the back of his head and he felt himself falling forward. Then everything had gone black.

The vehicle carrying them slowed and turned before picking up speed again. He tried to use his hunter senses to feel for any vampires or hunters near him, but felt none.

"Zero, you're awake," an oddly familiar voice said from somewhere across from him. That voice, he knew it… It couldn't be…

"Ichiru…?" he managed, blinking his eyes open slowly. There was little light in the vehicle, the windows were tinted dark and it was still nighttime. Despite this, Zero could make out a figure seated across from him. Silver hair longer than his own fell around his brother's face, and cold lavender eyes peered back at him. It was almost like looking into a mirror. His brother was alive. Emotion filled Zero at this discovery, even while the realization that he was a captive sank in. His head swam dizzily as he tried to lift it. He thought he probably had a concussion.

"You're alive! What's going on, where are we?" he asked, trying to sit upright. He discovered his wrists were bound together behind him, so that he couldn't get up. He struggled weakly, but gave up without much fight. He needed to figure out what was going on and for now try to conserve his strength. He laid his head back down on the leather seat, sighing. His vampiric hunger ripped at him, he swore he could smell Ichiru's blood beneath his skin, it was a tempting in a sickening way. That was the last thing he wanted to think about right now. He tried to study his surroundings. It was some kind of limousine, based on the two bench-style seats facing one another and the little window behind Ichiru that likely gave them privacy from the driver.

"We're travelling to meet an old acquaintance, brother. You shouldn't struggle. You can't escape. This vehicle is protected by a hunter charm. It will keep that troublesome pureblood who was following you from discovering our location." Ichiru's voice was softer than his own, as it had always been. He watched Zero without expression; it was creepy, the hunter decided. When had his brother become this way? He had always been so sweet and gentle before, but now it was as though a stranger looked back at him. He was trying to peg the little bit of emotion that showed through his gaze, but it was only a small flash and was then replaced by the cold expression.

"Why are you doing this? We are brothers Ichiru, not enemies. I thought you were dead all this time. Mother and father…"

"They're dead, I know. I was there that night, when she ripped out their throats." When he said this, Ichiru's face twisted into a smile. "I have been with her since that day, brother. She is the only one who has ever truly loved me. She saved me from my fate. I knew I was always too weak to become a real hunter. I overheard mother and father talking about what to do with me. Master Yagari said I was too weak to keep training anymore. It was only you who could carry on the Kiryu lineage as a master vampire hunter. I was never going to be anything but sick and pathetic."

Zero felt his heart wrench at those words. He was overwhelmed by what his brother was saying. How had he been there that night? How could he say nobody loved him? "I loved you Ichiru, I still do. Don't do this, let me free."

"You pitied me," Ichiru spat, "I'm sorry Zero, but I can't let you go. You are on the verge of becoming a Level E, your thirst would drive you to attack me if I release you. You can't even clear the red from your eyes as it is. I can't take that risk. Shizuka-sama told me to keep you restrained until we get to her."

Zero felt like he was going to vomit. Hearing her name spoken aloud made him remember her bite. In fact when he thought about it, the mark at his throat had begun to tingle and throb uncomfortably. It was distracting. He once more tried to free himself, with no success. He tried to think rationally, attempted to understand Ichiru's motivations, but none of this made any sense. "How could you betray our family? That bitch killed our parents! She took my-"

Ichiru backhanded Zero hard, snapping his head to the side with his strike. He was surprisingly strong. At the moment it seemed that he was stronger than Zero himself was. His head reeled, the taste of blood filling his mouth from biting his tongue. How had his brother gained such strength? Was he a vampire now? His aura didn't seem that way, he registered as a normal human with just a tiny bit of hunter that was almost impossible to detect.

"Don't _ever_ speak of Shizuka-sama that way. She is everything to me. She gave you a gift brother, you just don't know how to appreciate it. I would do anything to have what you have. To walk in your shoes. How dare you insult her?" Ichiru was clearly incensed. Zero couldn't believe this was happening. It was surreal.

"A gift? She turned me into a monster! I'm going to die because of what she did to me. I've suffered every day since she came into our lives! You have no idea what you're talking about."

"No, _you_ don't understand. Our parents killed Shizuka-sama's soul mate. He was on the hunter list, though he was not a Level E. They hunted him down and killed him when he was harmless and hadn't hurt anyone. She was so sad, her pain was unbearable. That's why she killed out parents. She spared you because I asked her to. Because you haven't suffered enough, brother. When we were little you always took care of me and protected me, but it was only out of guilt, because you took half my life before we were even born. You were already like a vampire before she ever bit you. You almost killed me without even trying. Thanks to you I was born as half a person, with a weak body and a weak soul. It's your fault I could never become anything worthwhile. It's your fault mother and father loved me less. Shizuka-sama told me about the curse of twins born to hunter parents. We are cursed, brother."

Zero just stared in silence, unable to form words. He was appalled by his twin's statements. His logic seemed bent and flawed, twisted in a way that made no rational sense. He didn't want to hear anymore. He closed his eyes, trying to swallow, though his throat was dry with his thirst, which still hung over him relentlessly, no matter the severity of the situation.

"We were cursed before we were ever born," Ichiru continued, "When a hunter becomes pregnant with twins, they usually eat one another within the womb, resulting in the death of both fetuses. Rarely, one will devour the other and is born as a very powerful hunter. You consumed my energy, part of my soul, but I didn't die. I lived, with half a soul, half my life. So I was always sick, and always weak. I was never supposed to be born. You should have killed me, but you couldn't even do that right, brother. I was in your shadow, I always needed you protection and could never keep up with you. You made me live this way, and for that I hate you."

Zero felt tears threatening to fall. His eyes grew blurry as he tried to look at his brother's face. "Ichiru I had no choice in any of it, I am sorry. I love you, I only want you to be happy."

Ichiru's expression darkened and he glared at Zero defiantly. "I don't want your love. Shizuka-sama has loved me more completely than anyone. She shares her blood with me, and thanks to her blood I'm stronger than I ever was before. I'm not sick anymore. I can perform hunter charms and my senses are increased. It made following you for the last few days easy to do. Not even Kaname Kuran noticed that I was watching you from the woods near the school." Ichiru watched Zero carefully as he spoke, his face hard and cold. "There's one more thing that makes me hate you Zero; she bit you, and not me. She has refused to make me a vampire, even though it would let us to be together forever. Once I deliver you to her she will finally give me the one thing I want more than anything else."

Zero couldn't help the tears slipping over his cheeks at his brothers' words. It cut him deeply to know that all of this time Ichiru had been alive and well and wishing for his suffering. He was the reason for it. It was a betrayal that his heart couldn't bear, and yet he felt only sadness. All the hate and anger he had lived with for years was absent; he only ached for his family, and for the twin who seemed to have changed into someone else. Since he clearly couldn't have that, he just wanted to get away so he didn't have to see the malevolent look in Ichiru's eyes.

"I am going to die soon anyway… I can't live like this much longer. Let me go Ichiru. I won't hurt anyone."

"You really aren't in control of that, brother." As if to punctuate his point, Ichiru's hand went to the hilt of a sheathed sword which was lying beside him on the seat. Zero hadn't noticed it before. He watched as his twin pulled the blade out a few inches and slid his index finger across it. He then re-sheathed the sword and put it aside. He held up his sliced finger so Zero could see a droplet of blood welling up on the tip, filling the little slice in with red. It dripped agonizingly slowly down the digit, leaving a trail of crimson it its wake.

The smell hit Zero like a wave, taking with it his control as his body tensed, his hunger leaping to the fore. He sprang to action without deciding it, trying to move to the source of blood, stopped by his bound hands, which were somehow fixed to the seat. He gnashed his teeth, trying to get closer, unable to help himself as the tantalizing scent filled his head. Visions of sinking his teeth into warm flesh clouded his mind. He definitely had less self-control than he had realized. He struggled for rational thought, closing his eyes and trying to suppress his urges. His brother's heartbeat was all he could hear, its cadence beckoning him to bite. He did as he had practised so many times now, imagining his aching fangs receding, imagining himself in charge of his body and mind. Slowly, a tiny bit of control returned to him.

"Stop it, Ichiru," Zero bit out after some time, his thirst levelling off as a pressing need that surged through him.

Ichiru laughed to himself, popping his finger into his mouth to suck away the blood that still seeped from the cut. He pulled a cloth from within his coat and pressed his wounded digit into it, violet gaze meeting Zero's red one. "You see, you have no control over it, Zero. You are already losing yourself. You must be suffering terribly. You were always so gentle and kind to others, so unwilling to do harm. It must kill you that this is what you have become. Maybe now you are starting to finally understand how much you made me suffer."

"Then please kill me," Zero pleaded, "I don't want to be this _thing_ anymore, just let me die."

"Shizuka-sama wants you alive, so I can't do that Zero."

An overwhelming sense of defeat filled Zero, dulling all else, even his thirst for the time being. It was hopeless. He couldn't get out of this situation. It reminded him of the many times he was forced to submit to others when he was a slave at the House. Once more his choice was not his own. He fell into silence, staring blankly at his brother as the car continued to travel through the night. His bite scar began to throb more intensely as they drew closer to their destination. He wondered absently if this was going to be the night of his death. He was beginning to hope it would be.

Why had Shizuka turned him into a vampire at all? What did she want from him? Why hadn't she just killed him along with his parents? Surely it was something more than Ichiru's request to spare his life. Most people probably wouldn't have survived this long as it was, based on what Kaname had told him. So what was she going to do? Kaname had explained about purebloods turning humans. He had said that drinking her blood would stop Level E from happening, but it would also alter his mind. Would he become her slave? It that what she wanted? He would kill himself first, he vowed. He was not going to be anyone's slave ever again.

These thoughts swirled through him as the car slowed and turned once more. The new road must have been gravel, because going was slower, and bumpy. The place where Shizuka had bitten him was now feeling almost on fire, aching and arousing his vampire side in a way that was wholly unexpected and uncomfortable. It was as if his body recognized that it was returning to her, and was excited.

The car turned again and drove for only a minute before coming to a stop. Ichiru glanced out the window, but Zero could see nothing from his position laying on the seats.

"We're here. Can you feel her nearby, brother? I can feel her power from here, even though she hides her aura to keep her whereabouts secret. It's because her blood is in me. It's like coming home when I return to her side."

Ichiru opened the door to the car and performed a small action with his hand, saying something under his breath. He must have removed the charm that was placed on the vehicle, because suddenly Zero could feel her presence, powerful and close by. He recognized her aura from the night she had bitten him. The feeling rolled his stomach and filled him with dread, even as his body sung and ached for blood. Something about her closeness seemed to make it worse, and he knew his eyes were still glowing brightly, just as his fangs were extended and ready to bite. He realized he was scared. He wished that he had asked Kaname to accompany him to the city earlier, and maybe none of this would have happened.

"Don't try to run, you won't get far," Ichiru warned as he undid the rope tying Zero to the seat. He grabbed him by his still-bound wrists and dragged him roughly from the car, yanking him to his feet and pushing him forward.

Zero's head was still woozy and the change in orientation caused a surge of dizziness. As his vision cleared he saw that they were in the country, surrounded by blooming cherry trees. There was a quaint little cottage before him with flowers in the window boxes and a path of flat stones and moss leading up to a little wooden door. It had an arched top and a heart-shaped window in the center. A warm and friendly glow came from the window, but there was nothing welcoming about this place to Zero. It felt like he was walking straight into a horror movie.

He extended his senses as far as they would reach and felt nothing for miles in every direction, except for Ichiru and the powerful aura that came from within the cottage. He was alone. Nobody was going to rescue him, nobody even knew where he was.

If he was going to get out of this, he had to do it himself.

Kaname used all of his abilities to search for Zero in the winding alleys where he disappeared. He closed his eyes, carefully evaluating the lingering bit of the hunter's scent that remained on the air. Following it, he quickly found the place where he was certain Zero had last been. He was worried that he would find Zero's mangled corpse, or worse, a pile of dust and crystalline fragments, but all that remained of the hunter's presence were a few small drops of his blood on a brick, which had evidently been used to knock him out.

There was no evidence of a struggle, or of where he had been taken. Could Zero have been killed from a blow to the head? His aura had disappeared so abruptly... Kaname supposed it was technically possible, but it was highly unlikely. If he were dead, there would be evidence. No, someone had kidnapped him. Kaname felt sure of that much, at least. He rubbed his fingers over the drops of blood that were spattered on the corner of the brick. Zero's scent filled him as he did this, bringing with it a wave of emotion, dominated by worry.

He scoured the area for more clues, listening and smelling carefully. There wasn't much to go on, and Kaname felt his frustration building. He did not like this, it was unusual that he was taken by surprise. He wasn't enjoying the experience. When no obvious clues presented themselves he looked to a homeless man laying against the bricks, a bottle in a paper bag nestled in his lap. Perhaps he had seen something? He put a hand on the man's shoulder, trying to rouse him. There was a cigarette between his fingertips, burned down to the filter, but still lit. He could not have been sleeping for long.

"Wake up," he ordered tersely, shaking the man's shoulder more forcefully when he did not immediately respond. He reeked of alcohol and filth which made Kaname wrinkle his nose as he knelt beside him.

The homeless man groaned and dropped the cigarette butt. His hands came up to his eyes, wiping at them. He blinked blearily, apparently trying to focus.

"Huh?"

"Wake up, I need your help. Did you see anything strange happen, maybe five minutes ago?" The pureblood's dark eyes were serious and insistent.

The man smiled. He was missing a few teeth, his lips were cracked and dry. His face was smeared with layers of dirt but his expression was easy to read. "Maybe I did, you got any smokes?"

Kaname frowned. He had no time for this. He summoned a small measure of his power and locked eyes with the man. "You will tell me what you saw. Now."

As if entranced, the homeless man nodded, his expression going slack and his eyes far away. "Tall skinny kid came through here, dunno what he was lookin' for, just standing around. Then a fancy black car pulled up over there, an' another kid lookin' the same as the first one came out. I thought I was seein' double, they was like twins. The second one grabbed one'o them bricks from the pile n laid it on the first kid. Hit 'em hard, he dropped like a rock. Dragged him into the car and they was gone."

The man stared forward, not moving. A little line of drool seeped from one corner of his mouth. Kaname relaxed his power and he sagged back against the bricks once more. He seemed dazed for a moment, then his eyes cleared and he looked up as if seeing Kaname for the first time.

"Hey kid, ya got a smoke?" he asked, but Kaname was already walking away, in the direction that the man had indicated the car had been.

This wasn't good, Zero could be in serious danger. Kaname paced the alley as he tried to come up with a plan. He had no details about what had happened to Zero's brother after the Kiryu attack. He had presumed him dead. After all, he was known to be frail and weak, and would not survive in harsh conditions. Evidently Ichiru was very much alive, and somehow he was Zero's enemy. This had to be Shizuka Hio's doing, Kaname was sure of it. She was known to be possessive and vindictive, and her sanity was questionable at best. After the Kiryu's had dispatched her ex-human lover, it was said that she had gone crazy with revenge. Nobody had seen or heard of her since that day, but Kaname knew she was still around. Purebloods were hard to kill, and Shizuka was no exception. She had many enemies, but she was still a pureblood. There were only a handful of beings capable of destroying her. If she were dead, it was most likely by her own hand, but Kaname didn't think she had killed herself. It was far more likely that she was planning an extensive and multifaceted revenge, and it probably included torturing Zero for his parents' transgressions. In fact it was probably the reason she had bitten him in the first place. What torture was more complete then degenerating slowly into a bloodthirsty monster? It was exactly the sort of thing she would do.

Kaname could barely contain his rage. He glanced at the pile of bricks where Ichiru had collected his weapon. It shattered into rubble, crushed by a blast of his telekinetic energy. His eyes glowed crimson in the darkness, revealing his discontent. He didn't know what he felt for Zero, but whatever it was it was the first time he had felt that way and he wasn't going to let anything get in between him and the object of his interest. He wanted time to move at his own pace so he could understand his feelings as they arose. That was not possible if Zero was dead or beyond salvation.

He tried again to find Zero's aura, but could not. A wave of rage swept through him, which he directed at a dumpster. It imploded under the impact with a loud BOOM. It was left it twisted and crumpled against the closest building, dust slowly settling around it. The concrete floor of the alley was also cracked by the force of his strike. His energy was surging powerfully, making his skin feel hot with the raw power. He was sure any other vampires or hunters in the area could easily sense the sudden flare, including the Nobles and Kaien Cross back at the Academy, and Shizuka, if she was in fact close by.

Kaname forced himself to contain his emotion. This would not help him find Zero. Losing his control over himself would only serve to make him vulnerable to attack. He breathed in deeply, grounding himself. Calm returned, his eyes darkening to their normal colour once more as the crackle of his aura receded to lower levels. It was extremely rare for him to let any of his power slip like that. He knew he had to find Zero as soon as possible.

He started down the street in the direction the black car may have travelled. He was feeling something he was not accustomed to, and he didn't like it at all. He was feeling out of control. If there was one thing Kaname couldn't stand, it was not having control.

He forced himself to remain calm as he wandered down the street, regularly extending his senses to search for the hunter's aura. He looked around carefully as he went, but there were no clues to where Zero had been taken. As he progressed he absently slipped his fingers into his mouth to taste the traces of Zero's blood. It was only a cold, dried smear, and yet it sent a rush of desire through him as he sucked his fingers clean.

 _ **A/N:**_ _Yay, one more chapter done! I hope this one was more interesting than the last one! I had fun with it, especially the little part at the end where Kaname got upset. Poor Zero, he just can't seem to catch a break. I think my muse gets off on screwing with him. That and I just like stressing him out :D_

 _ **A note about use of honorifics in the story:**_ _For the most part I have omitted them because the story is in English. Despite this, Ichiru uses 'sama' with Shizuka's name, and if any nobles are talking with Kaname it will be the same. I feel it's necessary to effectively convey their respect of these characters._

 _I'm so happy that new people are still following this thing! Reviews have been a little scarce, but then the last chapter wasn't exactly riveting anyhow. I'm still very thankful that so many of you are still reading as I post. Thank you!_

 _More coming soon, thanks for looking! :)_


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Kaname spent about an hour in the town searching for any sign of Zero, but there was none. His mind was filled with worries of what may have happened, but the more he searched, the more helpless and frustrated he felt. It wasn't working. He finally accepted that he would not make any progress in this manner, and turned onto the street that would take him back to the school.

He shoved his hands in the pockets of his trench, his long hair falling in his eyes as he trekked back the way he'd come, empty-handed. How could he have let Zero go so long without blood? He should have done something about it two nights ago, when he sensed his thirst beginning to overwhelm him. He knew the hunter was stubborn, but he hadn't thought he would come out here alone trying to hunt down a vampire with little skill and no weapons. He must have reached a point of desperation to even try it. A tree somewhere ahead of him imploded, crushed under the weight of a telekinetic blast. He would rather let off a little frustration here, where nobody was around, then back at the Academy, where everything seemed to be made of marble and glass and other valuable, breakable materials.

When he found him, Kaname vowed he would ensure Zero was better prepared for such things in the future. That twit Cross was a highly skilled hunter, there was no reason for Zero not to have the proper weapons and training needed to kill Level E's. Even Yuki had a hunter weapon – the Artemis Rod – and she wasn't an actual vampire hunter! It was mostly for her protection in case one of the Night Class students slipped up, which hadn't been an issue so far.

Kaname recognized that Zero's situation was not going to end well for him, but he still needed to find him and ensure that Shizuka had nothing more to do with him if he could help it. He knew that technically, by the vampire laws, Zero belonged to her because she had changed him. He was hers to do with as she pleased, only she didn't seem to lay any claim to him in all the time since she had changed him. She just left him to try and figure things out on his own as he slowly slipped closer and closer to madness. Normally these details would not have bothered Kaname. He wasn't heartless, and he did care about the impact vampires had on humans, but if a pureblood wanted to take a human slave, that was not really his business. It happened all the time, and was acceptable under vampire law. In fact it was his own covetous desire to have Zero for himself that would be considered a violation.

None of that seemed to matter to his heart, which continually urged him to be closer to Zero, to protect him and try to coax him out of his shell. He understood that it was just a passing fixation, like a crush. Once he spent a little more time around the hunter he assumed he would tire of his violet glares and rude manners, and that would be that. He figured he was only interested in the first place because Zero was so unlike other vampires. He didn't care one bit that Kaname was from the purest, oldest family in existence. He was prickly, obstinate and ill-mannered, and presented a challenge to the pureblood. That's what attracted him – the challenge. Zero didn't back down just because Kaname could vaporize him with a look. He was fearless, and rash. It was this unusual combination of factors that drew him in.

That and the increasing urge to feel Zero's white skin under his lips and fingers. Also the excitement he felt when he saw crimson flash in the hunter's eyes. He wanted to undo Zero, make him lose control. It was a selfish desire that he knew would result in more damage to the Zero's already fragile mindset, but it was there nonetheless. It was not from a malicious place, more of an instinctual, carnal place. He wanted Zero to learn the connection between his vampire nature and his body. Kaname wasn't ready to admit that he also wanted to explore those things for the first time. He was still discovering his own sexuality. He didn't know everything about that part of himself yet, even though he was wise and experienced in other ways. He had never taken a lover. He didn't even know what sex felt like. He didn't know what it was to be connected by blood to another vampire, except for his parents. He had shared a special kind of connection with them through blood, but that was different, and when they had died, it had been abruptly severed, leaving him alone.

That loneliness had persisted throughout his life. Though he had friends, like Takuma, and trusted allies, like Aido and Cross, he was still very much on his own. It was nothing that necessarily made him sad, but he did feel a sort of longing for companionship. For most of his life it was Yuki who filled that role, and she still did, but he was finding he felt differently about her than he did about Zero in the past weeks. Yuki was sweet and innocent, and he never wanted that to be spoiled. Zero was fiery and complicated, and he was drawn to that despite himself.

He saw the school buildings rising up from the trees as he neared them. He had nothing to go on, so he planned to keep searching for Zero's aura as he enlisted a little help from Takuma and Aido with tracking down Shizuka and Ichiru. They could access things like financial records to try and produce a paper trail that would lead him to them. It was a longshot, but he didn't know what else to do, and waiting idly was not an option. He would really prefer to keep this matter private, but he accepted that the two noble's had excellent resources and knew how to use them. They would be able to produce results more quickly than he could on his own.

Time was most certainly a factor. Kaname knew that Zero was already slipping earlier in the night. Now he had been injured, as evidenced by the bloody brick in the alley. His body would need blood to heal. If he didn't get it, then he would continue to weaken and thirst. Perhaps he wasn't quite ready to fall to Level E yet, but that did not mean that his hunger wouldn't be more powerful than his reason. There was no telling what Shizuka planned to do with him, but she clearly felt little remorse for the loss of human life. Zero on the other hand, seemed very sensitive to the possibility of hurting others. It was a strange combination – his volatile personality and accompanying gentleness. Either way, Kaname sensed that he would not easily bear the weight of his sins if he hurt someone innocent.

He entered the school grounds after the end of night classes, so the campus was quite quiet, only the Moon Dorm occupants were awake and active. Even Yuki had finished her patrols and was likely fast asleep. He wondered if anyone had noticed Zero's absence.

* * *

"Come to me, Zero."

The voice was soft, but Zero seemed to hear it with his whole body. It reached deep within him and stirred all the fibers of his muscles, so that he was at once moving towards the door of the cottage. He strode inside, unable to stop himself. There he saw her, Shizuka Hio. His parent's murderer.

Her long white hair seemed to sway around her, and her eyes were a pale shade of pink, like the colour of cherry blossoms. Flower petals twirled in the air, swept in through the open door. The breeze swayed the folds of her kimono, which was also white. He heard the tinkle of the small bell that was tied at her waist as she stepped towards him, her bare feet silent on the floorboards.

Zero was experiencing a wave of potent emotions at the mere sight of her. He wanted to rush forwards and destroy her by any means necessary, but he knew he wouldn't be able to lay a single finger on her if she didn't want him to. She was a pureblood, and insanely powerful. Still his jaw worked, and his hands became white-knuckled fists.

"You," he glared defiantly at her, his voice dripping with malice.

She chuckled, her laughter delicate. "Zero, you've returned to me. Have you come to kneel at your master's feet?"

Zero bit back the urge to spit on her. "I will never call you master, you insane murderer. I'm going to kill you, Shizuka."

She laughed louder this time, clearly amused. "You cannot harm me, child. I am your creator. I gave you life as a vampire, Zero. You are bound to me. You cannot disobey my commands."

Zero struggled, trying to free his hands, which were still tied behind his back. He hoped he could get to the knife he'd been carrying since he left the school, but he couldn't manage. Anger was rising in him. Shizuka stepped closer. She smelled like cherry blossoms, which still seemed to be fluttering through the air around her. Ichiru had stepped inside behind him and closed the door.

"You've grown into a handsome young man, Zero. Don't move." Shizuka ran her hand over Zero's cheek. Her skin was soft and warm. She caressed him with the back of her palm, sliding her knuckles along his jaw. He tried to twist away from her, but found himself unable to move. Her command was indeed impossible to disobey; she was holding him in place with her words alone. He became aware of her heartbeat as she moved closer. He felt his fangs aching, his vampiric urges stirred by her presence even more than they had been before. Her touch was torturous. He hated it, wanted to get her disgusting hands away from him. The long, slender fingers stroked just under his chin, gently tipping his head upwards, exposing his throat. His heart was thundering now, uncertain fear accompanying his anger and disgust.

Her eyes slid over his skin, she seemed to be devouring him with them. "You are so filled with hate, Zero. It's in your eyes. That is why I let you live as my vampire child; because of that look. You resisted me that day, and you fight me now, even if it's only with your eyes. I made the right choice when I turned you."

Zero struggled against her words, trying to move even a tiny part of his body. He managed to turn his head slightly to the side, looking away from her. It was an incredible effort for a minute result and only served to further expose his bite scar to her. She certainly noticed the movement, however, and her brows raised in pleased surprise.

"Still fighting, I see. That is what you have that your brother does not. I tasted it in your blood when I made you. I've watched it grow in you over the years. I missed you, Zero, though I have watched you from afar since that day. I saw you change, becoming your new self slowly. I know you endured abuse and torture, but you suffered through it and did not break. You are the strong one, stubborn and resilient. You survived when they touched you, forced you, when they took away everything you had. Still you didn't lose your spirit."

With that Shizuka leaned close to him, her silky straight hair tickling his face as she sank her fangs into his throat, over the scar that was left from her last bite. Zero still could not move, he couldn't even flinch at the painful sensation of her fangs touching the most sensitive place on his body. The area was already throbbing from being close to her, but a new level of pain enveloped him as she reopened the old wound and began to drink his blood. His fangs veritably pulsed with the need to bite as his hunger rose to the fore. Pleasure and pain twisted within him, causing reactions he couldn't hide. He heard the sound of her drinking, of his blood leaving his body and being swallowed into hers. He felt her arm come around him, pulling him close to her warmth. His arms were still tied behind his back, but she drew him closer anyway. His whole body shuddered against her and a sickening pleasure washed over him. He felt himself hardening, his cock growing sensitive and excited as it pushed against his jeans. His hips twitched from the sensation of it pressing into her body.

Her hand came up to cradle the back of his head, fingers working into his hair and sending tingles over his scalp. He was so responsive, he could not help himself. Though she had commanded him not to move, it seemed involuntary reactions of pleasure or pain were permitted. She parted his legs with her thigh, causing his erection to press against her more firmly. He felt vulnerable and helpless, his body moving of its own accord even as she drained his life away. He was grounding his cock on her thigh as he panted into her hair. It was embarrassing and he couldn't stop himself, though he despised the sensations that worked through him. It reminded him of being molested by the bald senator; the smell of blood had somehow made rape into a pleasurable thing. It was revolting. Now the sensation of her feeding from him was producing an even stronger sexual response. He felt her fangs digging into him still, and he was beginning to get lightheaded. He leaned more heavily into her, standing becoming a challenge.

Slowly she withdrew her teeth, her tongue going to the wound and licking at it. That sent a new torrent pleasure through him. The skin was hypersensitive and her saliva seemed to grow warm and tingle as the bite marks closed under her licks and sucks. Now she was just mouthing the scar at his throat, and it was making him lose control over his body. A moan of pleasure escaped him, his cheeks flushing even as his hunger raged. He thought if she actually touched his erection that he might come just from the sensation, but she didn't.

He began to realize through his haze of pleasure and horror that this was his chance to bite her, to take her blood so he would not become a Level E. Yes, it may have other effects, but at least he could live. He fought against her command to be still, managing to open his mouth a little. She moved a few inches away from him, still wearing that small amused smile, only this time her lips were stained with his blood. She hadn't made a huge mess, but one drop had managed to slide down her chin and was smeared over the skin. The sight of the blood made Zero even hungrier. He was beginning to have difficulty thinking coherently. Fear, lust and thirst were all melding together into an overwhelming sensation that seemed to paralyze his rational thought. Dizziness was also becoming stronger, and he wavered on his feet, held up only by Shizuka's arm around him.

"Your body wants to give in to me, Zero, but I know your mind resists. You must let go, let go of the humanity that holds you back. Let it go Zero."

Shizuka punctuated her words by nibbling along his throat and jaw, and finished by whispering the last phrase into his ear as she sliced the rope that tied his wrists, freeing his arms. She made it a command, which he could not disobey. Fear filled him as he felt himself letting go of his humanity, and becoming what she forced upon him. It too soon dissolved, leaving him feeling nothing but lust and hunger. He was able to move once more, and his immediate action was to grab her throat with all of his strength and try to rip into it with his fangs.

She easily stepped out of the way of his attack, even with his hand clamped on her throat, claws piercing her flesh. Her laughter and the bell at her waist tinkled together as she grabbed him by the neck, flipping him onto his back and pinning him to the floor. His already injured head cracked against it, but he did not hesitate. He snapped his jaws at her, trying to catch any part of her in his fangs. His head swam with dizziness, but he remained intent, struggling to get free. The smell of her blood was in the air now, a few drops welling over the flesh where his claws had ripped at her. It maddened and aroused him further as he felt all of his control slip away. He was wild now, like an animal. He lunged at her again and again, but could not touch her. She slipped out of his grasp effortlessly each time he tried to grab her. Zero felt no conscience, no fear. He did not resist his urges or consider his own safety as he repeatedly tried to bite her.

"You are forbidden from biting me."

Zero stopped his attacks for a moment, unable to keep snapping at her, but he could still lunge forth in attempt to spill her blood some other way. She was far too fast, he knew, but he was desperate. He was aware of a coldness within himself, a calculating and level sense that had not been so prominent before. He didn't worry about how what he was doing made him feel, and the shame that normally coloured his actions and reactions was totally absent. There was nothing to hold him back now. He didn't care anymore. He just wanted her blood. She let go of his throat and he staggered to his feet, head spinning from the multiple blows it had recently endured.

He couldn't catch her, but perhaps he could trick her. He whirled around, taking Ichiru by surprise. He twisted his brother's arm behind him, eliciting a pained yelp as he tried to struggle free. His fingers twisted into long silver hair, yanking his head back roughly. He found the hilt of the sword at Ichiru's waist and drew it, quickly bringing it to his brother's throat. Ichiru froze, his wide, fearful eyes looking pleadingly at Shizuka.

"Give me your blood or I will kill him." Zero ordered coldly, not caring in the slightest that this was his brother. In fact all he really noticed was the tempting smell of his blood so close by. The only reason he didn't rip into the pale neck before him was that he needed Shizuka's blood more. Ichiru was his bargaining chip. She cared about him. She wouldn't let him die.

Shizuka erupted in peals of laughter, making no move to obey. "You would kill your own brother? I suppose that without your humanity you really are just a monster, Zero. Unfortunately you can't threaten me that way. Ichiru would gladly give his life for me, but that isn't what I want. Release him."

Zero shoved Ichiru away obediently, but kept the sword. "Then what _do_ you want? If you planned to kill me you've had plenty of opportunity."

Zero held up the sword, looking for an opening to attack her. Her speed made it impossible. There was no way to move fast enough, especially not with his head spinning wildly from blood loss and trauma. His thirst seemed to be all that remained within him. It was all that kept him standing. Shizuka came closer again, locking onto his eyes. She didn't seem wary of the sword at all. He tried to slash her with it and she stepped away easily, her movements fluid and smooth. Before he could blink she was face to face with him, the sword ripped from his grasp and tossed aside.

"As much as I like the idea of you as an inhuman monster, you are no fun this way. I need to see the hate in your eyes, or you are just like any other lowly Level E ruled by thirst."

Zero felt her control over him lifting. His emotions, worries, and cares all surged back into place, nearly knocking him from his feet. The even coldness he had felt moments before was replaced by the usual shame and guilt. He shuddered under the weight of it, realizing how unlike himself he had become with only a simple order from her. For a moment, and only a brief fleeting moment, he was sad that it all came back. It had been easier to exist without caring about any of it. But then he would not be himself. A wave of relief washed through him, but it was mixed with despair as his emotions surged, reminding him of all his pain and sadness, his loss, his grief, and his loneliness. Tears welled in his eyes, the rush of emotions overwhelming. He was paralyzed and confused by it, wavering on his feet as black spots appeared in his field of vision.

Shizuka seemed to understand what was happening, for her amused expression softened marginally. "That's better," she said, close to his ear. He still was not able to bite her, and he thought he must be passing out, but he felt her arm snaking around his waist again. She leaned into him, her lips placing a soft kiss over his before she once more bit into his throat. She didn't take as much blood this time, but it had the same effect on his body and beleaguered senses. Pleasure and pain were together inside him, her bite a searing fire at his throat. Her warmth against him and the sensation of his bite area being touched made him groan despite himself. There was less lust this time, probably because he was trying so hard to stay conscious. The result of that combined with his head injuries was disorienting. His eyes slipped shut against his will, her heartbeat dominating his senses as he began to fade.

"Kill me," he begged in a whisper against her, tears slipping from the corners of his eyes.

She withdrew her fangs slowly, her hand stroking his hair in what seemed to be a tender gesture. She wiped a trail of tears from his cheek. "I had Ichiru retrieve you for me because I wanted to strengthen the bond we share. Your blood is inside me, we are connected. I can taste the misery and hate in it. You are suffering immensely, but I won't kill you, Zero. You must live. There is something you must do for me."

Zero was fading fast, but he didn't miss her words. He struggled to open his eyes. They were full of fear as he met her gaze, forcing himself to remain conscious. "You've already taken everything from me, what else do you want?"

She smiled coldly, her tongue darting out to clean the blood from her lips. "Nothing yet. I'll come back for you when its time. Just try not to become a Level E before then."

With that she placed another kiss on his lips and released him. Zero sank unceremoniously to the floor. He felt the petals of cherry flowers falling over him, and the firm coldness of the floorboards beneath his cheek.

Through blurry eyes he saw her exit the cottage in a flurry of pink petals. Ichiru collected his sword from the floor, sheathing it. He paused briefly in the doorway to meet Zero's eyes. He then turned and followed Shizuka into the fading night. Zero heard car doors slamming, then felt Shizuka's aura abruptly disappear. Then came the crunch of tires over gravel as they drove away, leaving him alone.

He laid there for an unknown period of time as the darkness lifted, birdsong rising from the woods around the cottage. He knew they weren't coming back. He was still starving, weak, and he definitely had a concussion, but none of that seemed to matter. Nothing seemed to matter anymore. Ichiru was alive. After all of this time thinking his twin brother was dead, he was in fact doing better than fine, but he had also betrayed their family. He had accused Zero of being like a vampire before they were even born, consuming part of his life and soul. The thought was awful, but it was true. Zero knew he was responsible for Ichiru's condition.

His mind drifted in weary circles, the hunger taking him on blood-filled tangents at some points, and his sorrow filling his head with visions of his family at others. He imagined the photograph, which was still in his night table back at the Academy. He thought he must be hallucinating, because he swore he held it in his hands now, and could see his parents' smiling faces looking back at him from the creased and worn surface. He traced his fingers over his mother's image, tears stinging his eyes and dripping down the sides of his face into his hair and ears.

He thought about the time he spent in the House, being used and fucked as a slave. At that point, he had thought that things were already as terrible as they could get. Then he had killed Higashi, and the shame and self-loathing he felt had become the new most terrible experience. When he had escaped, he'd begun to regain some hope, and some strength. Now he realized that it was only a false hope, designed to build him up so the next events were even more painful. He was already becoming more like a beast; he had dreamed about attacking and raping Kaname like it was a fantasy. He had nearly bitten innocent Yuki when she scraped her hand, and he'd left the school last night with the intention of hunting and killing a living being to feed upon. It was abhorrent. Yagari refused to train him, and had called him a murderer. And to crown all of the other atrocities, his brother, whom he loved despite all of this, had bashed him over the head and delivered him into the hands of his sworn enemy, weak and defenceless. His traitorous body had responded to her fully, obeying all of her commands and even becoming intensely aroused as she sucked his life away. He could not live with any more pain.

He came to understand that he was a loathsome thing, which needed to end. He needed to die. The only thing that would stop all of this was his death. His life was worth nothing to anyone except those who used him to further their own agendas. He was only capable of causing harm or death. The faster he ended it, the better off the world would be.

Previously when he had thought about his own death Zero had believed he could still avenge his family by becoming strong and hunting Shizuka down. He understood now that it was not going to happen. She was immensely powerful, and could control him with mere words. She could order him to attack innocent people and he feared he would be unable to disobey, so complete was her control. Everything he'd endured had come to this singular moment. All the horrors that had happened to him were a product of Shizuka's manipulation, and she still wanted more from him. She still wasn't satisfied with his misery.

He refused to give it to her. He would remove himself from the game, so she couldn't use him any longer.

The room spun in lazy circles around him as a strange sort of calm settled in. He knew what he needed to do now, he just had to get enough strength to actually do it. He would rest for a little while, and when he was able to move again he would do it.

Zero allowed himself to drift off, hallucinations of blood mixed with horrific memories swirling through his mind as he sank into unconsciousness.

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ _Oh dang (any Adventure Time fans in the house? I'm 30, who says I can't watch silly cartoons…) that was so much fun to write. I actually did these scenes in reverse initially, beginning with Zero and Shizuka, and then writing Kaname's part after. I'm glad I did it that way. I was able to really get into Kaname's head in the beginning of the chapter, and I like how it turned out. His character was a challenge for me initially, but feels a lot more natural now. Zero came easily from the get-go. I had some experience with similar character archetypes in previous fanfiction long ago and far away when I was into Gundam Wing and DBZ._

 _Obviously things are getting to the point of rock bottom for Zero. Will Kaname find him before he does something terrible? Is it already too late? He's losing it pretty bad… Level E can't be far off._

 _Will be working (as usual) over the weekend, so hopefully I find a little time to write somewhere in between!_

 _Thanks for looking! :)_


	15. Chapter 15

_This chapter is dedicated to_ _ **Annerloy**_ _for her encouraging and supportive words. Your message came at a moment when I was feeling disheartened, and really lifted my spirits. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I hope you will feel comfortable leaving public reviews in the future._

* * *

 **Chapter 15**

The Night Class members had been worried and stirred up when Kaname had returned. They'd sensed the spikes in his energy and were curious about what was going on, but he dismissed them abruptly. He had absolutely no patience for their questions, and they would just have to suffer the ache of his displeasure. When he was angry or upset Kaname's energy gave lesser vampires headaches, nausea and other unpleasant side effects. It also left them on edge and irritable, so it was in everyone's best interest to keep purebloods content lest they suffer the consequences.

Kaname strode to his private quarters, unbuttoning his long coat and collapsing onto the divan to brood. It wasn't long before he felt Takuma's presence at the door, and heard him ask to come in.

He didn't want company. He was still uncomfortable letting on that finding Zero was a personal matter. He reluctantly called for the tall blonde to enter, making no move to pull himself from his position sprawled over the furniture. Takuma strode into the room, shutting the door behind him. He was usually cheerful and upbeat, but he could obviously sense Kaname's distress. He stood a few paces form the couch and let his gaze fall over the pureblood.

"Everyone can sense your… um… mood. What's wrong, Kaname?"

"Takuma. I need your help," Kaname began, bringing his eyes to meet the Aristocrat's green ones. "That ex-human that has been staying with the chairman has gotten himself into some trouble. He is missing. I want you and Hanabusa to get me some information."

Takuma nodded, wondering why the Kiryu kid mattered. "What kind of information?"

"I have evidence that Shizuka Hio is behind all of this. Kiryu has a brother, and it appears that he has been acting as her aide for some time. His name is Ichiru. Both brothers have been presumed dead since Shizuka killed their parents three years ago. I want you to find anything you can on them. Paper trails, properties, money transfers, anything that may give me an idea of their whereabouts. I am uncertain as to Shizuka's motivations, but be cautious, she is dangerous. You must work quickly; she's planning something, and Kiryu is part of it. I will be leaving shortly to search for him further. I expect you and Hanabusa to have something for me by nightfall."

"Of course, I will get started right away." Takuma bowed and was about to leave, but he paused, looking back at the pureblood. "Is there anything else I can do to help?"

Kaname sighed under his breath, his expression distracted. He raised his head to look at his friend. "Keep this quiet. I don't want the others to know what you are working on. Ensure Aido understands, I know he can be rash at times. I trust you, Takuma. That will be all for now."

"I'll take care of it," the blonde responded, retreating from the room and closing the door softly behind him. He was glad to be away from Kaname, whose malcontent was nearly suffocating. He rubbed at his temples, trying to ease the headache it had left him with.

That left Kaname alone with his thoughts, which he'd already had quite enough of. Now wasn't time for idly hanging around waiting for something to happen. He needed to act or he would drive himself mad. He once more stretched his awareness to its limits, searching for Zero's aura within the volley of details his senses detected.

There. It was there. Faint, weak, but present some distance away, just at the edge of his scope. He peered out the window in the direction of the energy, squinting his sensitive eyes as the sun broke over the horizon and bathed the world in stinging light. No matter, he would leave immediately.

Kaname wanted to simply fly to Zero straight away, but he recognized the disadvantages of such a plan. He was at his weakest during the day and he didn't know what he would be walking into when he arrived. He may be playing into Shizuka's hands. At the very least he should protect himself from sunlight and have a way to bring Zero back once he found him. He resigned himself to driving there instead.

Minutes later Kaname was behind the wheel of an ominous black car with a powerful engine and darkly tinted windows. He roared from the school along the country road, kicking up gravel in his wake and smoothly careening past other vehicles, weaving in and out of them with ease. Now that he had pinpointed the unstable hunter's location he was making a beeline for it. He put aside his confused emotions and concentrated on freeing up his path.

He felt a sense of urgency that he could not ignore. It tugged at him to hurry. He pushed the car hard, all eight cylinders pumping furiously as he sped past everything in his wake. Kaname ensured nothing stood between himself and his goal. Determination flashed in his eyes.

* * *

Zero came awake with a startled intake of breath and a rush of discomfort wracking his head. His body ached with thirst and weakness and trembled from the effort he exacted to bring himself to his hands and knees. Out. He wanted to get out of here and do what needed to be done before he hadn't the strength to follow through. He forced his uncooperative body to move, to get off the floor and stand on its own. He managed to get to his knees, the world teetering around him. A concussion and starvation were evidently a poor combination. Before getting much further he promptly vomited onto the floor, sputtering and coughing up bile and not much else. His eyes watered from the exertion. He steadied himself on his hands and knees for a long minute before trying again to get to his feet.

He was able to pull himself weakly onto a nearby chair, where he remained panting until he felt ready to continue his efforts. He wiped a splatter of saliva from his lips with the back of his hand and tried to look around the room. Everything wobbled and seemed fuzzy but it was a simple space, with wooden furniture and homey country trappings. He'd been rather distracted when he first arrived, and only noticed these things now.

Some water to rinse his mouth was what he really needed. Possibly it would also quench his thirst, though he knew that was not likely. He used the chair to prop himself onto his feet and made his way to the kitchen counter, hunching over it to catch his breath for a moment before reaching the sink and turning on the tap. Cold water flowed from the silver spout which Zero greedily drank, rinsing his mouth repeatedly and swallowing hopefully. Of course it did little to sate him, and seemed only to enhance how cold and empty he felt. At least it removed some of the awful taste.

These details seemed wholly trivial; he had made his decision. All he needed now was a way to carry out his plan. He began to root around in the drawers for something deadly. He found knives, but honestly did not see himself committing suicide with something like that. He suspected that even after extreme blood loss he would not die, only suffer. It had to be more final. Similarly, a length of rope was dismissed as an unlikely candidate because he couldn't be certain that hanging would be enough to actually kill him.

Thinking was exceedingly difficult, and even these simple conclusions were wrought with great effort given his ailing state. The thirst was so powerful now, it made previous suffering seem like only mild discomfort by comparison. His mouth felt as though it had been stuffed full of cotton balls that lodged in his throat each time he swallowed. His movements were uncoordinated and jerky. Each motion required immense effort and a strength he was uncertain he still possessed.

His search led to the eventual discovery of a shotgun hanging over the fireplace. Now that was more like it. It was just across the room, which seemed much further than it actually was, but he found it was easier to reach when he reminded himself of _why_ he must get to it. He snatched it into his quivering arms, thankful for the small amount of weapons training he had received from Yagari in the past. It held three shells, but he knew he would only need one. He was surprised to find the gun loaded. Apparently when one resided out in the middle of nowhere it was reasonable to keep a loaded gun just lying around the house. Better for him. He slung the weapon over his shoulder by its strap and made for the door. He didn't want to die here. He at least wanted to do it outside somewhere, where he felt a little freer.

He was managing his shaky legs more successfully now that his goal was in reach. He made his way through the front door of the cottage and outside into the sunshine. He felt better already, closer to freedom. He picked through the neatly pruned trees and bushes around the side of the house and into the old growth forest behind it. It was immediately cooler, damper. The sounds of animals and birds were still there, but seemed muffled by the thick foliage. It was mostly pines and firs mixed with a few maples. The ground was a carpet of brown needles beneath his feet. Yes, this would be a good place for it. Peaceful, relaxed.

After straying several hundred meters into the woods Zero could push himself no further. His legs were barely holding him up any longer and he was struggling to see straight. He found a small clearing created by a fallen tree. He allowed himself to sink wearily against the large trunk, the scent of rotting wood a comforting reminder of times he spent playing in the woods as a child. He removed the gun from his shoulder and set it on the ground beside him, running his fingers over the smooth barrel and casting his eyes upward, to the sky.

Sunlight streamed cheerfully though the leaves, dappling the clearing with points of light. It was beautiful here and he was thankful to be able to take his last breaths in such a peaceful place. He tried not to think too much about the more serious things, like what he would do if the gun didn't go off, or if it didn't kill him somehow. It was going to be over very soon. No more pain, no more fear and misery. He was making the only reasonable choice he could. He didn't need to go over all the details again, he knew it was true. He had confidence that his choice would ensure the survival of many others in his place. Whatever sick plan Shizuka was entertaining, he wouldn't be any part of it. He would no longer constantly thirst for blood and worry about whether he could stop himself from hurting people.

That was enough for Zero. It was time.

He was very calm and deliberate as he flicked off the safety and cocked the gun. He leaned back against the fallen tree, resting the barrel of the firearm on his chest, steadying it between his knees. He brought the mouth of it under his chin, pressing the cold metal into his skin. He took a deep breath, pushing away any last reservations he was holding onto. This was it, he knew it was the only way. His thumb came to rest over the trigger.

He pictured his family, the photo he had carried with him since that day shining clear in his mind. They would understand why he had to do it. His parents would forgive him for being unable to avenge their deaths. His brother… The tears came finally, when he thought of Ichiru. Every other tragedy paled in comparison to what he had done to his brother and what his brother had done in turn. They truly were cursed, and this was the only way to free himself.

With no further contemplations, Zero pulled the trigger.

Nothing happened.

He once more compressed the trigger, harder this time, and still nothing happened. It wouldn't move. He flicked the safety again, thinking perhaps it had been turned back on while he was setting up. Nothing.

Frustrated, Zero inspected the firearm in his hands, ensuring it was in fact properly loaded with live shells. It appeared to be in perfect working order. He took aim at a nearby tree and fired. A 'BANG!' echoed through the clearing and a large chunk of his target exploded away. He rubbed his shoulder, the kickback having been unexpectedly painful against it. Zero pumped the gun, readying the next round and re-taking his position leaned against the tree with the muzzle of the gun under his chin. He was shaking now, both from exertion and exasperation. He just wanted this to be over with. Could nothing in his life go smoothly? Not even the end of it?!

He once more drew his 'last' breath and squeezed the trigger. It wouldn't budge.

"FUCK!" Zero yelled angrily and pitched the gun away. It hit the ground with an anticlimactic 'thud' and laid still amongst the dry needles. He grit his teeth and tried to think of a backup plan. His eyes fell to his legs. His pants were by now dirty and ripped in a few places, but he could still feel the knife he'd brought with him tucked into its hidden sheath. He drew it, considering the extremely sharp blade and wondering if it would be possible to bleed to death after all. It was not how he wanted to do this, but it seemed fate was giving him no other choice. For whatever reason the damned gun wouldn't fire properly. At least a knife was simple and had no possibility of malfunctioning. Unfortunately it would be much more painful, much messier and he would suffer more. So be it.

Zero's hand was trembling badly, but he sat up against the tree trunk and took a preparatory breath, trying to find the courage to go through with his new intended plan. He placed the blade at his throat. He could do this. It was a little harder, but it had to be done.

He applied pressure and drew the sharpened weapon firmly across his neck in a slicing motion.

Only it didn't cut him. It didn't move at all. Instead the knife flew from his grasp and stuck in the ground beside the fallen rifle.

It was at this point that Zero became aware that he was not alone. His focus on his task had distracted him from his surroundings until now.

"Kuran," he bit out as the tall countenance emerged from the trees. He squinted a bit in the sunlight that streaked through the clearing.

Zero could see some strange emotion in the vampire's eyes and he thought it was pity. Asshole, coming here and interrupting _his_ choice, _his_ decision. This was the only part of his life that he felt he could control any longer, why was Kuran taking that away from him!? Renewed anger flooded his body. Had he not been so weak he would have made some effort to attack the other youth, but he no longer had even the strength to get to his feet. He heaved a breath and when he spoke his tremulous voice betrayed his feeble state.

"L-leave me alone."

Kaname came closer to Zero, observing the tears on his cheeks and the way his shoulders trembled, though he seemed to be trying to hide it. He could easily see the fresh bite on his throat, and the dried blood caked around it. Shizuka had fed on him. That explained why he was so weak. This pitiful creature about whom he could not stop thinking really did deserve to die. If he had any sense Kaname knew he would not have stopped the trigger from working, but he couldn't allow Zero to kill himself. He needed to understand why he was so drawn to him. And he wanted to know more about what Shizuka Hio was up to anyhow. He stared down at Zero who shrank from him, fresh tears spilling from his eyes. They were rimmed in crimson despite the lack of any fresh blood nearby. His brow was sheened in sweat and his teeth were chattering as if from cold. He looked pathetic.

Zero tried to crawl away from Kaname. He couldn't stand the look on the bastard's face. He was so filled with indignant shame at being caught in the act that he barely registered the obvious signs of his hunger and the beat of the pureblood's heart echoing in his ears. He tried to crawl towards the gun. Maybe he could somehow get to it and finish this still. It levitated into the air and flew quickly away through the trees.

"No!" His voice was desperate, but it couldn't stop the gun from disappearing before his eyes. "Fuck you Kuran," Zero bit out, defeated. He realized the futility of further efforts and finally just curled into a ball and sobbed on the ground, pine needles sticking to his hair and clothes. What was the point in trying to escape? Obviously Kaname wasn't going to let him finish this. He would drag him back to the school and force him to keep on suffering pointlessly.

"Kiryu," came the pureblood's voice, softer than Zero remembered it being. He stiffened as he felt a warm hand on his shoulder. The last thing he wanted right now was to be touched. The hand practically made his skin crawl. He tried to squirm away from it with little success.

Kaname was not accustomed to comforting or consoling. He frowned at the wretched lump quaking on the ground and worried at his lower lip, debating just putting him to sleep and taking him back to the school. What was he supposed to do? He understood Kiryu's motivations, and they were logical given his circumstances, but his selfish heart refused to allow the hunter to end his suffering here. He sighed and lowered himself beside Zero, his hand rubbing awkwardly over the boy's back. It felt so strange to offer this sort of touch. It wasn't necessarily bad, but it was certainly unpractised. Zero tensed under his hand initially, relaxing and allowing the stroking motions only after some time. He was so frail, his normal combative countenance totally absent. It was a side of Zero that Kaname had never seen.

After several minutes in silence the crumpled form seemed to be calming. He wasn't shaking quite so violently now, though he made no effort to get up or speak. Kaname finally sat down on the ground (he'd been crouching before this) and ran his fingers through the fine hairs at the nape of Zero's neck. This caused the red-rimmed eyes to glare at him, but the look only lasted a fleeting second before Zero turned away and just let it happen. He seemed to be giving in. Kaname was motivated by his curious desire to see more of this small submission. He so rarely touched anyone besides himself except to deliver discipline or – less recently – to kill. He hadn't considered that his hands could offer comfort.

Zero was totally floored by the gentle contact, his hatred of Kaname urging him to fight it. Had he an ounce more energy he would have done so vehemently, but at this point he had nothing left with which to oppose the ministrations. He was so tired and so thirsty, he resigned himself to laying in place until Kaname forced him to move. He honestly didn't think he would even be able to sit up if he wanted to. What would be the point of it anyway?

Kaname leaned back against the tree trunk where Zero had been sitting before, his hand still working over the hunter's shivering shoulders. He liked how touching Zero was making him feel. He decided to indulge this unusual sensation more and pulled Zero against him, resting the hunter's head on his chest. He didn't miss the way he quickly froze and stiffened, weakly trying to push himself free. Kaname's strong arms easily prevented this withdrawal. He inhaled the hunter's scent and raked his fingers through the wispy silver hair, smoothing his palm over it and down the back of his neck. Kaname was thinking less about his actions now – it felt surprisingly natural to touch Zero in this way. There was a stir of arousal at the body pressed against him, but he could easily see that this wasn't the time for it. Yes, he had been thinking of touching Zero a lot lately – though none of the thoughts had concerned particularly gentle contact – but right now wasn't about sex, even if he found the image of the helpless hunter to be arousing. Zero remained tense, so Kaname allowed a tendril of his power to rise and subdue the struggling youth's efforts.

 _Relax, stop fighting,_ he willed silently, satisfied as Zero slowly calmed against him.

Zero wanted to get away, but he didn't have the energy to fight anymore. The fingers in his hair went a long way to this end, coaxing him into resting his head against the vampire's chest. Even through his coat Kaname radiated heat on his cheek, which was cold and clammy by contrast. His scent was strong, pleasant in a way Zero had never considered before. Still, this was weird and uncomfortable, and now that he was so close he could clearly hear the powerful heartbeat beneath his ear. He was reminded of his thirst quite suddenly, his eyes opening as he realized how close he was to a source of blood. He pushed at the warm chest, trying to get away before he lost control. His fangs had already distended in an obvious display of hunger. Panic settled in when he was not allowed to retreat. He fought more frantically, putting new effort into his attempts to break free. Kaname only held him tighter, the struggling easily rousing his predatory disposition.

"Don't resist it Kiryu," came the calm voice inches from Zero's ear. He felt the pureblood's warm breath tickling his skin.

"Let me go! I-I can't stop it…" he pleaded, finally looking up to meet Kaname's gaze. He was surprised when he saw a hint of crimson colouring the dark eyes. What the hell was Kuran thinking about?

Kaname reacted instinctually to the other vampire's hungry stare, his eyes searching out Zero's throat. They fell upon the scar there, and the fresh bite that marred it further, blood smeared and dried over the area. Before he thought better of it he traced a finger over the damaged flesh, eliciting a hiss from the hunter. He saw the crimson grow brighter in Zero's eyes. He noted the way he clenched his teeth, jaw muscles working furiously. Zero may be suffering, but it was having a decidedly stimulating effect on the pureblood.

"She fed on you," Kaname remarked aloud as if he'd only just noticed. It certainly explained why Zero was demonstrating so little resistance and self-control. "It must have been quite pleasurable for her to bite you, she _is_ your creator…"

Zero's cheeks coloured quickly, his eyes darting away. He redoubled his resolve, offering an embarrassed glare. "Don't say that, it's gross."

Kaname snorted softly. "You are practically salivating over my neck as we speak. Haven't you realized it's completely normal for vampires to share blood? You need to feed. It will help you think straight."

Zero's face took on a guilty countenance at that comment, and Kaname felt a smug sense of satisfaction for so easily pushing the hunter out of his comfort zone. He did not want to admit that he also felt a measure of jealousy when he imagined Shizuka biting Zero and drinking from him. He drove that thought away, his eyes not leaving the hunter's.

"Why were you trying to kill yourself?"

Zero made an exasperated noise, his eyes falling to the pulse point at Kaname's throat. "Isn't it obvious!? You shouldn't have stopped me. I… I think I'm already a Level E…" Zero felt himself weakening, the draw too strong to resist. Admitting his greatest fear aloud seemed to give it life. His mouth watered as he stared at the inviting stretch of neck.

Kaname was silent, watching Zero's internal struggle play out. He would lose to his thirst, the pureblood knew. Why did he care? This boy was just a lowly ex-human, he was doomed to that fate anyhow. Why should it matter to him? He had far more relevant matters to attend to than the doom of one pitiful teenager and his endless wretched suffering. Even if Zero never became a Level E it did not mean he was any more worthwhile. He was only a thorn in his side. No matter how he looked at it his reasonable mind concluded that he should just let Zero die, and each time he drew this inevitable supposition the selfish part of him interfered and demanded something to the contrary.

He wanted Zero to bite him. In fact, the very thought sent a shiver through his whole body. He wanted more than that, but it began with the bite, and he finally decided that he was going to allow it. He unbuttoned his jacket and shirt then tilted his head away, presenting his throat in open invitation. He had never done this, and there was an expectant thrill twisting through him at the thought. It was like ascending a very tall roller coaster and finally reaching the top, waiting for the terrifying drop that wasn't dangerous, but was still exhilarating.

Zero watched very carefully, taking in Kaname's movements with trepidation, questioning whether he was correctly understanding the situation. Of course his hunger screamed at him to _move now_ and _bite_ , but he hesitated, even in his state of need. Was Kaname Kuran really offering him his blood? What would it do to him if he drank it? He knew that drinking from Shizuka would change him, would the same thing happened if he drank from Kaname? Fear coiled within his body, and was reflected in his stare.

Kaname was quite surprised that Zero still needed encouragement. He had never known of a vampire refusing a rare offer such as this one, but he was undeterred. He had made his decision and he would see it through. He brought a slender finger to his throat and the tip began to grow into a wicked claw. Kaname used it to create a small cut in his own skin, which finally spurred Zero to action.

The hunter felt himself losing all semblance of control as the release of blood over the white flesh awoke his hunger fully. The smell hit him at the same time, filling his head with its delicious and inviting character. It was so much richer and fuller than human or Level E blood, it was the difference between smelling water and the finest wine.

Zero let out a fully animal snarl as he pressed his face into the tantalizing neck, licking away the liquid from Kaname's flesh. Those few first drops burned his throat and he was reminded that this was not an ordinary vampire. His tongue worked over the skin until he felt the pulse pumping beneath it with his lips. He bit deep, his fangs ripping furrows in the offered neck until he could feel them lay open the artery. He was rewarded with mouthful after mouthful of the headiest blood imaginable. It set his nerves afire and quickly filled him more completely than anything he had yet tasted. His eyes fell shut as he crawled onto Kaname, straddling him and pulling him roughly closer, his fingers twisting in the long tendrils of hair as the other hand gripped his upper arm tightly. His fingertips grew into claws which dug firmly into the arm he held, even through the coat the pureblood wore. He could hear himself gulping and sucking greedily at Kaname's throat, his body singing praise. His injuries healed, his head cleared, and he began to drink for pleasure rather than necessity.

Kaname was momentarily paralyzed by the sensation of having his throat laid open by such an inexperienced and careless mouth. The initial moments before the bite had felt very nice, with the warm exploring tongue working over his skin. He had enjoyed watching Zero search for the artery he wanted, and had inhaled sharply just as he knew the fangs would slide in. The anticipation of a sensual and pleasurable experience was quickly dashed. It was excruciating. He had not expected that it would hurt so much. Somehow he thought Zero would be gentle because he was freely offering himself. Evidently not.

Kaname endured the discomfort, surprised when Zero straddled him and grabbed his shoulder in an iron grip, as if trying to prevent his escape. Obviously if he wanted to stop he could easily remove the hunter, but he did not. This was a fascinating show of unrefined instinct. Most vampires were taught how to drink as children – or by their master in the case of ex-humans – but Zero had received none of this education. He operated purely on instinct and reserved little consideration for the comfort of his 'victim'. The thought sent a rush of heat into Kaname's groin.

He felt himself responding physically as the initial frenzy seemed to pass and Zero continued to rip cruelly at his throat. His breaths deepened and he groaned, pleasure arising from the painful area on his neck. He wanted very much to roll them over and sink his teeth into Zero, put him in his place and demonstrate just who was in control in this situation. He forced himself to remain calm, clamping a clawed hand to the ex-human's shoulder to indicate he should withdraw. Zero got the hint and relaxed his jaws deliberately, finding his way through the haze of bloodlust as he slowly backed off. He ran his tongue through the healing furrows in Kaname's throat, dipping it into the many puncture wounds he had caused. This action elicited a decidedly animal growl from the creature beneath him, who regarded him dangerously. Zero discovered that he especially enjoyed the feeling of the open wounds against his tongue. The sensation was nearly enough to drive him to sink his teeth back in, but Kaname's warning crush of his shoulder encouraged self-control. The bites closed over quickly and Zero didn't waste any blood, licking up as much as he could manage. When Kaname's neck was clean Zero sagged against him, his forehead resting on the strong chest as he panted, catching his breath. He was still straddled over Kaname's lap and he had quickly become warm, the cold clammy skin colouring up nicely as his health was restored.

The experience was so powerful that Zero nearly forgot where he was, but slowly came to, feeling Kaname beneath him. "Holy shit," he managed, his body feeling sensitive and alive. He wasn't shaking and weak anymore, instead he was infused with incredible strength. He felt stimulated, focused. Like he could do anything. His hunger was barely there, and all the confusion he'd been battling had disappeared. Finally his head was clear once more.

The sun suddenly seemed brighter and he winced, his eyes somehow more sensitive. Was this how purebloods and nobles experienced daylight? He managed to look up at Kaname, wondering if he understood what his blood was doing to his body. He was unprepared for the depth of the gaze that met his own. Kaname's dark eyes were glazed crimson, and his fangs protruded slightly from his lips. He regarded Zero in a way he had seen many times before – in the men who were about to fuck him at the brothel. Zero rolled off of Kaname, intent on giving him some space. He did not want to be on the receiving end of that look.

Kaname composed himself quickly, allowing his fingers to graze lightly over the area Zero had bitten before buttoning his shirt and coat. A small thrill of pleasure snaked through him at the contact. It was his first bite mark. Though there was no visible sign of it, the flesh in that area was already more sensitive than before. The hunter's scent was all over him, reminding him of what had just transpired. It hadn't been what he was expecting at all. Not the level of pain, and especially not his reaction to it. He had… liked it. It had quickly accessed some of his darker desires, making him want to force Zero into submission in any way he could. And there were many ways that he could. His body and mind seemed preoccupied with settling the score, and asserting himself over the teen who had just bitten him. He still wanted to throw Zero down and demonstrate his dominance. It took a great deal of restraint not to do exactly that.

He was irritated at his base, animal reactions. He forced himself to regain his composure and ignore the hardness that had formed in his jeans.

"I trust you are feeling better now."

Zero nodded, a little frown knitting his brows. Was Kaname going to ask him that every time he fed?

He got to his feet so he could put some distance between them, dusting the pine needles and dirt from his clothes. He didn't like being so close to the pureblood. There was a predatory look in his eye that made him squirm and he hadn't missed the bulge in his pants. He didn't want to think about any of that. He began to walk back to the cottage, sticking to the shade as much as possible.

Kaname appeared at his side without warning. Zero tensed, he hadn't even heard him get up. They walked through the trees quietly, the hunter feeling the other vampire's eyes on him, though he refused to meet them.

Kaname broke the silence as the back of the cottage came into view ahead. "Are you still intent on killing yourself?"

Zero frowned, reminded of what had brought them here. "I… this doesn't really change my situation. Probably."

"Actually it does change things. My blood will significantly slow your descent to Level E and will heighten your abilities."

Somehow Zero had managed to overlook that possibility. Perhaps there was some reason to live on after all. "Then, I can still kill that woman."

Kaname considered Zero carefully. "She is a pureblood. We are hard to kill, but as your master, Shizuka may be impossible for you to kill. You stand little chance even with my blood."

Zero wanted to respond, but he decided to keep his thoughts to himself. He would talk to Cross when they returned and see if there was any way he could get some training. It would be necessary if he was going to have any success facing a pureblood. He had to admit that the way he felt right now made his continued existence easier. He could even consider some possible positives for botching his suicide attempt. It was remarkable what consuming Kaname's blood was doing to him. Everything was so much sharper, especially his thoughts.

As they emerged from the trees the light was much stronger, forcing them to squint again. Zero didn't miss the way Kaname put a hand up to shield his eyes. He saw a very expensive looking black car in the laneway and followed the pureblood to it, getting into the passenger side. The leather creaked as he settled and took stock of the vehicle's interior. The knob of the shifter was inlaid with a rose emblem. Kaname sank easily into the driver's seat and shut the door. The engine came to life a moment later and they set off, presumably back to Cross Academy.

Silence settled over the pair as Zero tried to avoid looking at the driver, and Kaname pretended to focus intently on the road while he watched Zero fidget out of the corner of his eye.

"You are restless."

Zero frowned, watching the road. "I feel… strange. It kind of burns from the inside." He felt heat rise to his cheeks, this admission highlighting his embarrassment quite clearly. He didn't like to think that Kaname's blood was inside him. He could literally feel it in his veins, like it was somehow alive. It was creepy and the idea made him anxious.

Kaname's lips formed an almost imperceptible smile. "Your body isn't accustomed to pure vampire blood, but you should adjust soon. There are many benefits to drinking from me which will become apparent over time; extra energy is certainly one of them."

"Right," came the response, and then the silence returned for a few minutes. Zero had lots of questions, but he dared not ask any of them. He disliked Kaname's tone – it was arrogant and presumptuous. He didn't like the pureblood and he didn't want to listen to him talk about how great or powerful his blood was. He already knew anyhow.

Kaname was enjoying keeping Zero uncomfortable. He couldn't fully explain why it pleased him so much to cause this reaction, but it encouraged him to talk to Zero more, if only to get the same reaction again. "You will need to consume my blood fairly regularly if you want to maintain your strength. If you drink from other sources in between you'll need it less often, but they won't be as satisfying."

Zero made a sour face at that comment. He had considered this a one-time occurrence. He recalled the lust-laden look that had been on Kaname's face only a short time ago. He didn't want to see that again. "How regularly?"

"I'm not sure, probably every month or two depending on how well you feed in between." Kaname paused, then looked over to Zero seriously. "It is imperative that you keep this arrangement to yourself. It is unheard of for a pureblood to share with an ex-human created by someone else. The social repercussions would be damning."

Zero gave Kaname an insulted look. "Are you seriously telling me that I have to keep this a secret because it will make you look bad?"

"Yes. It's a little more complicated than that, but basically yes."

"Why should I give a fuck what a bunch of self-serving vampire aristocrats think of you?"

Kaname sped around a sharp turn, the gravel road disappearing behind them as they found their way back to the highway. He easily maneuvered past a slower vehicle, accelerating quickly. Zero's fingers bit into the leather seat, the speed unnerving him.

"Without my donation you won't be giving any fucks at all. And furthermore, if you _do_ plan to keep your wits about you, you will need to learn how to accept my offer without ripping into me like a piece of meat. Honestly, you act as though you loathe everything about your vampire nature yet you feed like an overindulgent beast. You are exceedingly unrefined and rough. Perhaps I should demonstrate by returning the favour."

That shut Zero up quickly. He just stared at Kaname with a sort of stunned, disgusted look as a blush crawled all the way up his neck until his ears burned. He crossed his arms and attempted an insulted huff. "How should I know if there are different ways to do it…"

Kaname offered him a smile, one of the first he had ever seen on the normally-serious face. Zero wished he would keep his eyes on the road as they were flying past the other cars in a blur. "I told you before that there are many things you will need to learn about your vampire nature. I've urged you to embrace it, but it is not always appropriate to let your instinct carry you along unfettered. Some occasions require more finesse."

"Well I don't know how to do that, and I don't want to talk about this anymore Kuran. I just want to get back and get some sleep. Sorry if I am not falling at your feet thanking you for your charitable donation. I would have been just as happy if you'd left me alone and not interfered. Then I wouldn't still be worrying about vampires. I'm sick and fucking tired of vampires. If I never hear that word the rest of my damn life it will be too soon."

"Well that's unlikely, all things considered."

Zero groaned, "I _know_. Could you stop? Please?"

"Well, if you're going to _beg_ …"

"Shut up."

Kaname was feeling pretty pleased with himself as he drove the rest of the way back to the school. The change in Zero was certainly welcome. He seemed far less miserable when he wasn't starving half to death and denying himself. Maybe there was some hope for the turbulent young man after all.

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ _I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter! I was nervous to write this scene, I hope it turned out ok._

 _I took a small break from writing to read a great story that I found on the site this week. I was also feeling a little discouraged and my muse seemed to have disappeared for a few days, but things came together afterwards and I finally have this chapter finished. It's a longer one to make up for the wait._

 _I wanted to address a comment that things were taking too long and that Zero is no longer Zero: I've done my best to write this story at a reasonable pace and to maintain the characters as closely to their original selves as possible. Zero has had different experiences here than he did in the manga or anime, so he isn't going to be exactly the same! I am also not a professional, I'm just writing this for fun. Sometimes I get caught up in certain scenes or themes and may repeat things here and there. I hope that the story is flowing well and is enjoyable to read. Many apologies if it is boring!_

 _Thanks very much for looking! :)_


	16. Chapter 16

_**A/N:**_ _Thank you very much to ben4kevin, annerloy, irmina and lili974WOLF for the lovely reviews on the previous chapter. They were a pleasure to receive._

 _Enjoy!_

 **Chapter 16**

Kaname used his hand to shield his eyes from the sunlight as he returned to the Moon Dorm. It was already almost nine in the morning and he was well past his normal hour to retire. He knew the others would all be fast asleep by now, except Takuma and Aido, who were hopefully working on gathering the information that he had requested. As it was he needed to clean himself up before he could realistically discuss the matter with them. Kiryu's scent was all over him, and he was fairly certain the evidence of his spilled blood was plainly visible – even to non-vampires – on his clothing. So he strode quickly to his quarters, slipping through the large, ornate wooden door and locking it firmly behind him. He 'pulled' all of the heavy drapes closed with a thought, plunging the rooms into welcome darkness. It felt good to relax his eyes. The sun may not visibly burn him, but his powers were certainly compromised during daylight hours and the light was often blinding, even if it was not directly on him.

He entered his private bath, which was all white marble tile on the walls and floor. Normally if he wanted a bath one of the many servants would draw it for him, but they were all sleeping at this time, so he was alone. That was fine by him, he needed to reflect on just what he was doing with Kiryu. Perhaps nobody else had noticed yet, but if he continued to grow closer to Zero Kaname knew it would be difficult to hide it from the others and gossip would easily travel through their society until the Vampire Council became aware of his actions. That may cause problems, if only because it was widely known that the Kiryu's had been killed by Shizuka Hio. Obviously she had been the one to turn him, making him her property. Zero was an anomaly – he should have either been destroyed or enslaved by Shizuka – but neither had occurred, leaving him in an odd sort of limbo. At this point Kaname did not yet know what he really wanted from the boy.

He undressed himself, peeling out of his shirt and inspecting it. There was only a little blood on his collar – Zero hadn't allowed much to spill despite his voracious feeding – but even that small amount would be enough to stir up the whole dorm. He thought it safer to simply destroy the garment with a burst of energy. The remaining wisps of dust fell though his fingers and would be swept up by the staff when they came to clean. The rest of his clothing went into the laundry, leaving him naked.

Kaname stepped into the claw-foot tub he'd filled with steaming, clear water. He put a few drops of rose essential oil in and stirred it around with his foot. He was immediately enveloped in its calm, subtle scent, which drew him down into the heat to stretch out and rest his head against the back of the tub. He soaked for some time, the steam rising, fogging the vanity mirror and making his hair curl at the tips. He replayed the events of earlier in his mind. Kiryu had been very serious about killing himself; he had not hesitated in the slightest when pulling the trigger. Kaname felt relieved that he had arrived in time to stop him from blowing his brains all over the tree he'd been leaning against. He hoped that for now Zero was serious when he said he wouldn't try it again. He seemed fairly intent on taking Shizuka out, so it was a safe bet that he was being truthful.

Kaname's focus drifted inevitably to Zero's aura, which was bright and obvious to him now, much more than it had been before. There was no question that allowing Zero to bite him had opened him up to a deeper connection with the hunter. It gave him a greater sense of Zero's location, health, and his mood. This was new to Kaname, and it made him a bit apprehensive. He knew a fair bit about the various connections which could develop when vampires shared blood, but had not experienced many himself. A variety of blood bonds could be formed between relatives, friends or lovers. There were also ties between master and slave. He remembered the deep bond he had shared with Haruka and Juri, his parents. When he drank their blood it was like being plugged in to their memories and emotions; he could feel their love for him, and could even sense their concerns over his future, his wellbeing, his happiness. He recalled his mother holding him close when he had been upset, and surrounding him with calming, comforting warmth as he fed from her throat. He had never felt so safe and loved as he had in those moments, but he knew that the type of connection shared by parents and their children was only one version of the union that was sometimes created when one vampire fed from another. There were also more intimate links, shared by lovers who opened their hearts and minds to each other.

It was not as simple as just biting one another and forming a bond. That was certainly the first part, but there had to be a desire for more, and willingness to connect on a deeper level. Where purebloods were concerned there was also a lot of control involved, as with creating a slave or servant. Biting a human and turning them was easy enough, and controlling the young vampire was almost effortless. Even without a mutual sharing of blood there would be a strong connection formed between creator and their chosen fledgling. Level D vampires were unable to refuse the orders and wishes of their maker, which Kaname had learned firsthand as a child. He had made ex-human slaves before, when he was living with the Ichijo's after his parent's death.

He recalled one instance when he was still learning about this ability and did not fully understand it. There had been a young human girl working as a maid at the Ichijo estate. Most of the other servants and staff were all vampires, but for whatever reason (most likely to provoke him in some way) there was a beautiful and sweet-tempered human girl cleaning and cooking, and Kaname had become fascinated by her over the course of a few months. He hadn't spent much time around humans, and was immensely curious about her. He also liked the way her presence piqued his predatory thirst; he enjoyed resisting the small flare of hunger that rose when she was around. He had always had perfect control over his appetite, even as a child. He was typically well-sated and certainly had no instances of breaking down and attacking people.

He really liked the girl and began to grow more familiar with her as the weeks passed. She seemed to like him too, and made extra time to spend with him when she could. He talked to her a lot, requesting that she remain nearby when he was reading and studying, and enjoyed the stories she thought up to entertain him before bedtime. Finally he requested that she be more involved in his daily care, replacing one of the other servants who usually performed these duties. Asato made the arrangements, giving him a knowing look when he asked about it and agreeing a little too quickly.

One day after she finished telling him a great story he had caught her slender, pale wrist in his fingers and experimentally pricked her flesh with his teeth. He drank only a few draughts of her blood, but the bite was enough. His fangs were laced with the substance that gave him the ability to transform humans, and it hadn't taken long before she was confessing a craving for blood and an obsession with people's heartbeats and throats. After this she seemed preoccupied with being near him and followed his every word without question. He had been too young to fully comprehend how much influence he actually had over her, but looking back on the memory he realized that her cheeks would flush at any attention he afforded her. He was able to sense her presence almost anywhere, and could summon her wordlessly, with only a thought. He was also able to sense the turmoil and confusion that she endured. She was perpetually hungry and confused, and took to sobbing for hours when she wasn't near him. There was an emptiness within her that was slowly deteriorating her mind, and it bothered Kaname that she was so changed from before.

Asato had quickly discovered his little creation, and had explained that making an ex-human vampire should be done with specific intent to avoid a throng of half-crazed low-level vampires following him everywhere. It would be an embarrassment to his reputation. He explained to Kaname that it was cruel to keep her will intact, because humans were too simple to understand the transformation. He said they were only good as servants or slaves. She was only a Level D and would be unable to resist her appetite or conform to her new nature without going mad. Kaname didn't like that. He remembered his parents' kind words about humans and how important it was to preserve their lives and freedoms. But here was this scared, unstable young vampire looking up at him like he was her god. He had no experience with this and hated the way her eyes followed him everywhere. Moreover, he was totally open to the connection they now shared, and could constantly sense her suffering. Perhaps Asato had been right. She didn't seem to be able to tolerate what had happened to her. Maybe it would be more humane to take his suggestion.

With this in mind Kaname ordered her to forget her life as a human. He willed her to serve him completely and follow only his commands. She did so immediately, staring hopefully up at him without a wink of doubt as her memories melted away into nothing. Her dedication was absolute. The chaos in her mind quieted considerably. He could still sense her feelings through the connection that had opened between them, but they had changed. She was not herself anymore. She stood by him perpetually, waiting for commands and direction. She thought what he told her to think. She did anything he ordered her to do. Kaname had thought he was ameliorating the situation by controlling her, and he supposed that it did have the effect he wanted – she wasn't suffering anymore – but he quickly grew bored and frustrated by her mindless obedience. Her stories lacked the excitement they had once contained. Her eyes didn't have the life and light they had held before. Kaname grew to regret his decision to bite her, and even began to despise her presence because it reminded him of his mistake each time she stared at him hopefully, her heart fluttering with anticipation that he would give her orders. He couldn't believe how deeply his control ran. He needed to understand it fully, so he never made a similar mistake again.

Asato seemed very amused by his plight, and told him he would need to decide her fate on his own. He did drop the suggestion that killing her was perfectly acceptable, and seemed to be urging him to that end. He commented more than once that it would damage his reputation to leave loose ends untied. If he wasn't going to kill her then he should give her his blood and make her his servant forever. Or at least until he grew bored and killed her.

Kaname wasn't ready for that right away. He drank from her a few times, her blood still full of delicious flavour, but it seemed that each time he bit her she was even more open to him, more pliant beneath his will. He could sense her constantly, and it began to irritate him more and more. He didn't want to share any more closeness with her. He couldn't help his exasperation at her vapid stare. And his feedings were having an effect on her. She wasn't able to obtain blood to drink around the estate, and the tablets were only mildly effective when he was drinking from her regularly. She began to deteriorate, her thoughts erratic, her body weakening and twisting out of shape as she descended to the End. Even as her body broke down into that of a starving monster, her devotion was absolute, but she was losing it. Her eyes glowed red, and her mind struggled to process his commands over her intense thirst. Kaname considered trying to reverse what he had done by telling her to remember and return to her old self, but he knew she would just be terrified so he decided against it.

Accepting what he'd done was hard for Kaname at first, but it became much easier as she resembled her former self less and less. Finally one evening she was shivering and panting in the corner of his room, obeying his command to keep him company while he played the piano. He looked up at her and saw an animal. He realized that he couldn't feel her through their connection any longer, he could only feel a salivating beast with wild thoughts of hunger. He summoned a servant, a low level vampire who had been caring for him since he'd arrived at the estate. He instructed the servant to offer his neck to the girl, who tore into him with relish. Unfortunately, even after glutting herself on the blood she could not satisfy her hunger. Realization set in and Kaname knew what had to be done. He let the tips of his fingers on one hand elongate into claws and drew her near him, kissing her cheek as he drove his hand into her chest and removed her heart. He regarded the organ in his hand coldly, feeling little remorse for killing her. She had already been gone. He brought the dripping heart to his lips and tasted the blood leaking from it as her hands went to the gaping hole in her chest. She gave him a stunned look and mumbled some last words of devotion before she burst into dust and crystal shards, which rained down on the expensive rug before him. Then the connection he had felt to her was gone. He didn't miss it, he was relieved that she was dead. Asato had expressed his approval as well, not that Kaname cared for it.

This experience had taught Kaname that there was a great deal of responsibility associated with turning a human. It had been a clear demonstration of how powerful the connection between a vampire and an ex-human could be, even if it wasn't two-sided. It showed him just how fragile their lives and minds were, and gave him a strong sense of separation from humans that he could not easily overlook. They were so easy to manipulate and kill, it would be simple to lose himself in such indulgences, but that was contradictory to what his parents had taught him was important. He had really disliked what had become of the servant girl after she was turned into a vampire. As he grew older and wiser, he realized that he had actually failed her as her creator. He had not known how to help her with the transition. He had not ensured she fed properly and regularly, and rather than coaxing her will in small ways, he had wiped out all of it with one powerful order. Kaname learned that turning a human was a delicate matter that required care and attention to details to protect the fragile human mind from being corrupted by control.

The occurrence had been a catalyst in his young life, leading him to want to protect human innocence more carefully. After that he had been more cautious and suspicious of Asato Ichijo's motivations, and asserted himself as the superior in the household, refusing to be coaxed and guided by him any longer. He distanced himself from the old blonde vampire and began to keep his private affairs separate from Ichijo as much as possible. He stopped accepting his 'advice' at face value and learned to look deeper to see what he may be planning in the future. He believed that the girl had been put in his life as a test, to see what he would do to her. He felt like he'd been played, which he refused to allow to happen again.

Kaname reminisced as the bath lost its heat and grew tepid. He stared at the ceiling, wondering if Zero was going to end up the same as the servant girl had. He was obviously far better off, but Kaname knew that eventually he would break down just as she had, and lose himself. It was unwise to enter into any kind of bond with someone like that. Sharing his blood was the best thing he could do to slow that process, but how long would it work? He honestly didn't know if it would completely freeze the descent, or just slow it considerably. Zero hated vampires for very personal reasons and was extremely stubborn – he wasn't likely to ever accept the change, even with guidance. Kaname wondered if he should force him, but nothing about that appealed to him. Instructing the servant girl to forget her past had been his biggest mistake (after biting her, of course). He couldn't imagine how furious he would be if Zero looked at him with vapid admiration. The very thought was abhorrent. No, it was imperative that Zero remain himself and get through this under his own steam. However, Kaname wasn't about to deny that he wanted him. And there was no mistaking the connection that had opened up between them when Zero bit him. He wondered if the hunter felt it as well. Surely he must feel _something_? Or was Kaname only experiencing extra sensitivity towards the hunter because he was open to such a connection? If Zero wasn't open to it would he feel anything?

So many questions… for now it would be best to finish up his bath and get some rest. When he awoke later he could see if Takuma and Aido had been successful in their search for information about Shizuka Hio. Perhaps after that he could devote more attention to dissecting the unusual connection he felt to the cranky lavender-eyed teen he'd found in that abandoned building. Just the thought of being close to Zero again sent a thrill through him, and the area of skin on his throat where the hunter's fangs had ripped at him was especially sensitive if he thought about it too much or touched it. Kaname had felt it pulsing mildly when they were in the car returning to the school earlier. Obviously something had started between them which was proving difficult to put out of his mind.

He rose from the bath and let the water drain away, wrapping himself in a fluffy towel as he stepped from the tub and found his way to the bedroom. When he was suitably dry he crawled into the huge luxurious bed, slipping between the silk sheets and pulling the feather duvet over himself to sleep. The darkness in the room was a peaceful respite from his swirling thoughts, except the awareness of Zero's presence across the Academy never left him. He knew it was possible to stop 'noticing' it so much by focusing elsewhere, but that didn't interest him. In fact he wanted to know more of what Zero was up to, not less.

He sat up in the bed, the silk sheets gathering at his waist. He closed his eyes, concentrating for a long moment. Slowly, out of the shadows in the room, a large black wolf with faintly red eyes materialized. A familiar. He sent it to watch Zero, ensuring that it would remain unnoticed by humans because it would vanish if they looked at it. Vampires and hunters would, however, be able to see and touch it, including Zero. Kaname wondered if he would realize what the creature was.

It wasn't something he used too terribly often, but it drained only a small amount of energy and allowed him to keep a close watch over the object of his interest. The wolf stalked silently off to its goal, passing through the shadows and emerging outside as it sought out Zero's aura.

Satisfied, Kaname laid back down stretching his naked form against the softness of the bed as he relaxed into a restful sleep.

* * *

When Zero returned to the Academy he was doing his best to ignore the thoughts of what had actually transpired in the last twelve hours. His traitorous brother was alive, Shizuka was coming back for him, and he had fed from Kaname Kuran like an 'overindulgent beast' according to the snobby pureblood's description of it. Whatever. He was finally feeling a lot better and he was late for class. It was already after nine, which was when classes officially started for the day.

Zero hurried into Cross' house, making a beeline for the bathroom where he took a very fast, very hot shower and shoved his ripped and bloodied clothes into the hamper, donning his black school uniform and rushing to the school building. He knew they had a test that day, and he hoped he wasn't too late to do it. He barely noticed how much faster he could move, because it felt so natural to zip through the motions without incident. He also didn't register the headmaster's presence in the home when he burst in, and completely ignored the watchful eyes following him as he went about his preparations and swiftly exited once more.

Kaien smiled to himself at Zero's movements. He easily deduced some of what had transpired simply by the evidence on his clothes when he entered. The retired vampire hunter had a very keen sense of smell and recognized Kaname's scent. He also picked up on the flecks of pure vampire blood that were left over from some obvious feeding activity. Zero's movements were quick and precise, and the normal weary frown was absent this morning, a focused expression replacing it. This was an unexpected development. Kaien wondered what had encouraged Kaname to share his blood with an ex-human. He knew the pureblood supported peaceful coexistence between races, but sharing his blood was a most unusual move. It would be heavily frowned upon by Kaname's peers if they found out, but would also significantly improve Zero's quality of life.

After the teen rushed through the house in a whirlwind and disappeared out the door Kaien went to his room and pulled a locked chest from the closet. He slid a large key in and opened the chest, the smell of old blood and metal filling his nose as he sorted through some of his gear from his hunting days. The items he was looking for were at the bottom, wrapped in one of Juri Kuran's scarves. He retrieved them carefully, memories of his friendship with the beautiful, peaceful pureblood filling his mind. He blinked back a few stray tears as the memories of her rose to the fore. Her wish was that he carry on her vision of peace between vampires and humans. She had given him the bundle wrapped in her scarf long ago, telling him that he would know what to do with it when the time came. He had taken it and tucked it away, almost forgetting it until just now when Zero had breezed through. Suddenly he had remembered the bundle and knew it was a sign that Zero was the right one for it. He put it back in the chest after inspecting it for a few minutes. It wasn't quite time yet, but it was coming soon.

Zero made it to class just as the teacher was passing out the test papers. She gave him a disapproving scowl and motioned for him to get to his seat just as the student nearest to him passed a copy of the test over. He noticed Yuki's eyes following him as he entered the room and sat down. He found himself caught in her questioning stare. She probably wanted to know where he'd been all night, why he hadn't helped her with the patrol. He was still trying to think of something to say and was glad for the distraction of the classroom and the test. He turned his eyes to the paper and picked up his pencil to begin.

The test was a cakewalk, as Zero was finding most of them to be. That had nothing to do with his consumption of blood. He just had an easy time with school. It was a good thing, too, because he was way behind the other students his age when he started, due to his time spent in the House. He was fortunate to be a quick study, and had easily fallen into place with the others, catching up with most of the material in the first month he was at Cross Academy. That had pleased the headmaster to no end – the exuberant blonde was overjoyed to have a 'son' who was so gifted and smart. Exactly _when_ Cross had started calling him 'son' Zero was unsure, but it felt awkward each time, though it seemed to make the headmaster happy.

He was one of the first to complete his test. He turned his paper in and put his head down while he waited for the rest of the class to finish. He knew Yuki would be the last to finish. He watched her erase her answers and re-write them more than once and found it sad that she had such a hard time. As the headmaster's daughter most people expected that she would be an excellent student, but she was the only one who got detention or extra work more than he did. She was often tired from her patrols so she fell asleep easily, and tended to fall to distraction without provocation. Some people just weren't meant to sit in a classroom to learn. Obviously Yuki was one of those people. Zero supposed he wasn't cut out for it either, but he usually got in trouble for being late, or for skipping altogether. He also fell asleep fairly regularly – staying awake during the day was harder than it used to be and he didn't really care about school anyhow. It was becoming normal for him to find himself wired and ready for action at night, and sleepy and lazy during the daytime. Today he was also bothered by the overly bright lights, which he had never had a problem with before. Obviously Kaname's blood was having an effect on him. He didn't want to think about the way he could feel it inside him, mixed with his own blood but still causing an odd burn in his veins.

The last thing he wanted to think about was Kaname Kuran. The pureblood had witnessed him at an extremely vulnerable time and had taken away his control of the situation. Despite that, he could feel the strangest 'buzz' when he thought of the taller vampire, almost like an awareness of his presence. It was uncomfortable at best, and Zero vehemently shoved it away, refusing to acknowledge the sensation at all.

The test was taking the others a really long time and his eyes drifted shut as he waited for them to finish and for the teacher to grade. He fell into an unpleasant dream, wherein Shizuka was feeding from him again, touching him and making his body react. Somehow Kaname was in the dream as well, fingers running over his skin and leaving trails of fiery sensation in their wake. The taste and smell of the purebloods on him twisted together and overwhelmed his senses until he couldn't contain himself anymore. Just as he was about to go mad and begin screaming he was startled awake by the teacher slamming a ruler onto the desk beside his head. He jumped in his seat, adrenaline coursing through his body. He almost let his fingers grow into claws for self-defence, but managed to get a hold on himself in time to stop the reaction. His teacher was standing over him with a tight frown. She placed his test on the desk before him.

"Kiryu it seems unfair to the other students that you put so little effort into this class and still keep getting the highest mark, but you have once again taken top score. Congratulations." She didn't seem impressed at all, and gave the next high scoring student much more convincing praise. Yuki got her test back last and the teacher just sighed, not bothering to comment on her pitiful attempt. Zero avoided her jealous glare as he collected his things and waited for the bell to dismiss them.

The next period dragged on for what felt like an eternity of boring and useless lecturing. It was a small wonder that anyone managed to stay awake for the whole thing, but Zero toughed it out to avoid any more weird dreams. When the lunch bell rang the whole class stampeded for the door in a desperate rush to get free of the stifling room and its tedious lesson. Zero walked out behind the others, wandering away from the groups of students talking and laughing as they hung around in the halls and outside the school building. He was tired from his crazy and mostly sleepless experience the night before, and had a headache from the light. He almost wished he had one of those silly looking parasols he'd seen some of the nobles use if they were out during the day. The brightness was really getting to him, so much so that he didn't want to be out in it at all. He made his way across the courtyard to the wooded area beyond and found the shade of a tree, beneath which he sought respite. He settled into the cool shady grass and thankfully closed his eyes against searing light.

He was only there a few minutes when he felt a strong hunter aura approaching him. Master Yagari. A cold wave of fear washed over him, freezing him in place. He quickly recalled the conversation he had overheard the day before. So much had happened since then that it felt like it had been weeks ago, but it was really only a single day since he'd heard Yagari tell Cross about the House and the murder of Higashi. He could still hear his master's gruff voice telling Cross that his parents must be rolling in their graves.

He wished the ground would open up and swallow him so he didn't have to face the man he respected more than any other. No such luck. He heard and felt the presence come to stand before him and opened his eyes hesitantly, half expecting to be met with the barrel of the older hunter's gun. Instead he saw a familiar countenance bearing down on him with a guarded expression. He wore a cowboy hat and a brown duster, his weapon slung over his back, the strap crossing his chest. His legs were clad in blue jeans with brown leather chaps covering them from the thigh down. His messy, wavy black hair framed his face and touched his shoulders. The smell of cigarette smoke filled Zero's nostrils as he met his master's eyes for the first time in many years. He blinked, staring silently, waiting for him to say whatever it was he was obviously here to say.

"Hey kid," Yagari finally began after they stared at each other for a long time. He sucked in a drag from his cigarette, seemingly enjoying the feel of the smoke filling his lungs. As he exhaled he pitched it into the grass, grounding out the cherry with his boot.

"Master," Zero managed, his voice quiet. He felt his face burning from embarrassment, his cheeks and ears full with the heat of his discomfort. He looked away at the ground, not able to meet his teacher's level blue stare.

"Thought you were dead."

Zero shrugged. "Probably would have been better if I was."

"Oh get off the pity pot kid, shit happens. Apparently some pretty bad shit happened to you. Don't get all weepy over it."

Zero stared at the grass, unmoving. He was afraid he might actually cry if he looked up at Yagari's face again, and he would never live it down if he did. The patch over his right eye and the small scars still evident on his skin were reason enough for Zero to feel guilty, even without taking into consideration the purpose of his master's visit. Whatever Yagari wanted to say to him he wasn't going to argue.

"So you're a bloodsucker now eh? Shit… never thought I'd be striking up a conversation with one instead of killing it. You goin' crazy yet?" The question wasn't the one he had expected, but it wasn't too off-course. His teacher had never been one to beat around the bush and waste time with formalities. Or tact.

"Uh… not yet…apparently my hunter blood is slowing things down. I'm… okay."

"Right. Let's cut to the chase. You and I both know you killed that old pervert Higashi. I talked to some of the other boys there and they told me what he put you through. Sounds like he deserved what he got, but the Association doesn't see it that way. They think you're losin' it and they sent me to find out. Looks like you're still at least partly sane, but we have to be sure. Can't have rogue vampires running amok and killing the townsfolk."

Zero watched as Yagari retrieved a small knife from somewhere in his clothes. He pricked the end of his finger with the tip, a drop of red welling up from the small cut. The smell of his blood filled the air and Zero's head. He felt the telltale heat in his eyes as his body reacted to the scent and his fangs began to lengthen. He was able to stifle the reaction quickly, clearing his eyes and encouraging his teeth to return to a less threatening length. He was quite suddenly tremendously grateful to Kaname for giving him so much blood. He met Yagari's gaze squarely, snorting.

"You'll have to do better than that if you are trying to provoke me, master."

Yagari grinned toothily. "You did better than I expected, kid, though it's fucking creepy seeing that bloodsucker look in your eye. You must have some damned strong hunter blood running through those veins to keep it together this long. Guess I can tell the Association that Cross was right. Damn, I almost hoped you would jump me just so I could prove him wrong."

Zero rose to his feet, shaking his head. He would really prefer for his 'condition' not to be the center focus any longer. "Well I guess it's not your lucky day today. I have to get to my next class."

A sturdy hand clapped over Zero's shoulder. "It doesn't start for another forty minutes. You're just trying to sneak away to avoid me. I think you owe me a little more than two minutes of conversation after you disappeared and made me think you were dead for three years. So stick around just a little longer and humour me."

Zero sighed, but stayed where he was. "Yes master."

Yagari game him another grin, pulling a box of cigarettes from within his jacket and placing one between his teeth. He then drew a pack of matches, striking one and lighting the end of the smoke. He crushed the match into the grass beside his previous butt and closed his lips around the freshly lit fag, inhaling deeply from it. The smoke came from his nose a moment later, in two curling plumes. He then pulled it from his lips with his index and middle fingers, his eye returning to his pupil.

"Good to hear you still know who's boss Zero. I'm not going to pretend I like what's happened to you. I fucking hate vampires. But Cross has made it very clear that you are still more hunter than vampire, and that you could use a little help getting back on the horse. So here's the deal: you show up in the school gym after dinner tomorrow and I will see if there is any point in trying to train a vampire to be a vampire hunter. The Night Class students don't use the gym anyhow and we can't do any training while you're in regular school, so this is the only time and place to do it for now. It will be interesting to see how you do with all their creepy vampire auras so close by while you are learning. And if one of them happens to interrupt us… target practice."

Zero stared at Yagari in disbelief. Was he really hearing this? Was he offering him the thing he had been seeking for over three years? He tried to speak but found his voice absent, so he just nodded furiously. He couldn't believe this was actually happening.

"What, you aren't even going to thank me? Jeeze what an ungrateful little shit you are. You'd better not waste my time kid, or I'll be pissed. And Zero, if it becomes obvious while we are training that you aren't as sane as you appear to be, don't think I will hesitate to put a bullet between your eyes, because I won't. So keep your shit together."

"Thank you master." Zero responded, not put off by the threats. He hadn't felt this happy and hopeful in three long years. Not much would bring him down right now. Yagari gave his shoulder another squeeze and turned to go, sucking on his cigarette as he went. He disappeared back into the busy courtyard where the students were all talking and laughing with each other, leaving Zero to contemplate his words in the shade of the tree.

He was finally going to become a real vampire hunter. Shizuka seemed as good as dead already.

As he absorbed this new development a figure emerged from the darkness between the trees. The large black wolf seemed to slink out of the shadows. It had a faint aura that reminded Zero of Kaname. It sat several paces away from him, regarding him with dark red eyes that seemed to give off a glow like a vampire's eyes during bloodlust. Zero frowned at the creature. It was obviously not a normal wolf. To test his theory he left the pleasant shade of the tree he was under and moved to another one several meters away. The wolf followed him at a distance, its red eyes remaining on him. When he sat down under the tree the wolf sat down where it was, eyes still trained on him. It made no move to come closer, and didn't seem to be a threat, but it was certainly strange. Zero heard the warning bell for the start of afternoon classes. He rose, gathering his books. As he walked towards the school he looked back to where the wolf had been, but there was nothing there.

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur; Zero barely noticed what his teachers were talking about. All he was thinking of was tomorrow after dinner. He wondered what they would work on first, if he would have any problems with anything because of being a vampire now. He knew there were a handful of hunters-turned-vampire in the history of the Association, but they were generally used for a short time and then destroyed when they became dangerous.

Zero knew that he had a little advantage over others. He had somehow managed to befriend (or at least align himself with) a pureblood who was agreeing to share his blood. It was crazy. The thought of drinking from Kaname again stirred up a lot of discomfort and made his stomach flip flop, but if it allowed him to accomplish this one majorly important goal, then he knew he had no choice. Again with the lack of choice. But for once it didn't anger him. For perhaps the first time since he had been bitten and his parents had been murdered Zero felt real hope. Not just a shimmer of wishful thinking. He felt capable. He could do this. He could train and get stronger and destroy his enemy. Ichiru had told him about their curse, which had given him the ability of one and a half hunters. Cross said he was special, that he had great potential. He could become an extraordinary vampire hunter if he managed his 'condition' well and dedicated himself to master Yagari's teachings. All the other details and problems felt like they were far behind him as that idea filled his thoughts.

When the last bell rang to signal the end of the day Zero filed out of the classroom behind the others. It was time to escort the Night Class into the school. Zero searched out Yuki with a renewed confidence in his step.

* * *

Kaname awoke from his sleep just as the sun was lowering in the sky beyond his darkened room. He could sense the end of the day and the rise in his energy even when he couldn't see the sun moving below the horizon. His first thought was of Zero and he quickly checked up on his familiar, peering through its eyes. It was sitting outside the school building, looking up at the window of the classroom that the hunter was in. Good.

Clearing that from his mind, he rose and opened the drapes, letting the dying orange light in through the huge windows. He found a freshly pressed school uniform laid out for him. There was also a glass of prepared blood tablets sitting on a coaster atop his heavy wooden dresser. He took it by the stem and sipped at it, realizing that he was hungrier for something much more satisfying than simple blood tablets. Their chalky taste was wholly unpleasant as it slid down his throat.

He pulled on clean boxers and socks, then slipped into the uniform, buttoning the shirt up all the way and looping the tie over his neck. The light pressure on his throat made the area he'd been bitten respond with a little flare of sensation. He frowned, not appreciating the continual distraction of the overly sensitive flesh. He loosened the tie just a hint, making it much easier to think clearly. This preoccupation with Kiryu was becoming irritating. It was interfering with his everyday processes and driving him to distraction more often than he cared to admit. He didn't think that he was willing to be patient for much longer, even though Zero was obviously not returning his interest. He was used to getting what he wanted, and that suited him. If this frustrating situation persisted he would have to do something to encourage Zero to be more open to his attention. He wondered if Zero even realized his attraction. He knew the hunter had seen his 'excitement' at least once after feeding on him but he was likely focussed on other things at that point. Perhaps it had slipped by him unacknowledged, but more likely he was intentionally ignoring it. Kaname was _really_ not accustomed to being ignored.

As he walked from the room he drained the rest of the red liquid from the glass, but found it left his thirst unquenched. Annoying. If he wanted to satisfy the deep thirst that had awoken after he'd shared his blood he would have to drink from one of the nobles or a servant, or possibly convince Zero to join him on another hunting trip in the nearby town. His mind wandered on that tangent, considering how Zero would react if he saw him feeding, unrestrained. It was easy to conclude that he would be disgusted by it, so why did that make Kaname want to force such a situation on him?

Fortunately the desire to feed was never so powerful that he couldn't easily reign it in. It was just a mild discomfort at this point which would grow steadily in the coming days, depending on how much energy he expended. It would also make him more irritable, which he admitted he was already experiencing.

He found a report written by Aido on the desk in his study which contained a great deal of information on the Hio family's assets and holdings. Shizuka was the only pureblood vampire left in the line, but there were many high ranking nobles that also carried the name or were closely related to her. There were several pages information about the transfer or management of money and assets, but most of them were long-running between members of the family and didn't raise any suspicion. A few more noteworthy transactions involved human accounts, namely with a person called 'Ichiro Kiro.' Kaname stared at the name, wondering if Shizuka was really foolish enough to leave a paper trail that would lead him right to Zero's brother (who obviously had an alias to hide his identity). There was an estate several hours away that belonged to Mr. Kiro. It had been purchased approximately three years ago and transferred into his name. A steady stream of money had been poured into the place regularly since that time.

That was certainly worth checking out. Kaname slid the papers back into the folder and locked them in the top drawer of his desk as a plan began to formulate in his mind. He knew he had to be patient. Things would take some time to come to fruition, but if he played his cards right it would work out in his favour. He reminded himself to praise Takuma and Aido for their good work and left the room, gathering with the other Night Class members to head to the school building.

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ _So there you have it… that was kind of a beast of a chapter for me. I wrote it all in one sitting and it just kept coming… hope it wasn't too much!_

 _It looks like Kaname is really starting to lose his patience with Zero's lack of interest, what is he going to do? Besides stalking him with a familiar, that is..._

 _It was admittedly really fun to get Zero and Yagari back together after so long, and I was happy to finally give Zero a little strength and encouragement after all his suffering. He deserves not to be the victim for once!_

 _Looking forward to writing more soon. I continue to be very thankful for the many reviews and follows! They really encourage me, although I am just as grateful to the lurkers who are reading the story but choose not to comment. You are all amazing! Are there any scenes/details that readers are looking for specifically? What do you want to see? Let me know, maybe some stuff will make it into the fic. More should be coming soon._

 _Thanks for looking. :)_


End file.
